P.E.I. community college sees nearly 50 per cent drop in international students

Holland College in Charlottetown is pictured in this undated image. (Source: Facebook/Holland College)

Holland College in Prince Edward Island has seen a 47 per cent drop in its international student population from 2024 to 2025, which has caused multiple staff position terminations.

The college, located in Charlottetown, said its number of international students fell from 848 in 2024 to 446 this year.

“This is the result of recent changes to federal immigration policies, in particular, the sharp decline in the number of college students eligible for a Post Graduate Work Permit,” the college said in a news release. “The college will sustain a loss of tuition revenue in this fiscal year in excess of $4 million, a trend which is projected to continue.”

In early 2024, the federal government introduced a cap on international students, which has lowered enrollment at Atlantic Canadian universities by 36 per cent, according to the Association of Atlantic Universities.

“That’s a big hit for our region, not just for our universities but for the regions economy and population growth strategies,” Peter Halpin, executive director of the association, previously told CTV News Atlantic.

Holland College said it expects to lose roughly 700 international students – or 83 per cent of its total international student population – over the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years.

The college notes it suspended four programs in the Tourism and Culinary campus last April due to the population decline, followed by eight programs across the institution this fall. They have also restructured two programs.

“These adjustments represent the most substantial shift in program offerings in the college’s history,” the release says. “As a result, 35 valued faculty and staff positions have been discontinued.”

The college says its overall enrolment has dropped by 10 per cent, but they have seen an 11 per cent uptick in the numbers of P.E.I. residents who attend the campus.

The college estimates 87 per cent of graduates remain in P.E.I. after completing their education.

-With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Haeley DiRisio

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