St. Clair College president warns program and job cuts possible in 2026

Possible job cuts are coming to St. Clair College in the new year following a drop in international student enrolment.

The president of St. Clair College is looking ahead to 2026 and the following year in education.

The college reported 2025 fall enrolment at its Windsor and Chatham campuses was down 23 per cent from last year, dropping from 12,235 to 9,383 students, largely due to a nearly 3,000-student decline in international enrolment.

Michael Silvaggi is hopeful for better provincial funding to help ease the financial hit from losing so many international students.

“That is something that we’re not going to able to replicate because it was significant. So, we have to find our way forward, understand what our new reality is, and plan accordingly,” he said.

18 programs were previously suspended by St. Clair including dental assisting, power engineering, hospitality, fashion design, event management, and some programs offered at its Chatham campus such as office administration.

Silvaggi said further suspensions are on the table.

“We are looking at it from a financial perspective, we are certainly looking at it from a student demand perspective, and at the end of the day, it also has to ensure with the provincial government as to whether the programming do align with the Protect Ontario Plan. At the same time, we want to ensure that there are local labour needs that are being adhered to, so it’s a bit of a balancing act,” said Silvaggi.

Silvaggi said job cuts at the college are a real possibility.

“We are doing some things and putting some plans out there to try and relieve that pressure, is that pressure exists, and certainly we are looking at some options that we haven’t announced as of yet, but certainly, it would remiss to say that hasn’t been a consideration,” he said.

Canada’s immigration minister is capping student visa applications for 2026.

Lena Diab is directing her department to cap foreign student applications at just under 310,000 in the new year, with about half being admitted.