KAWARTHA LAKES-The President of Fleming College is sounding the alarm over the Federal Governments proposed cap on international student enrollment.
Maureen Adamson says the move has created a great deal of uncertainty for the Fleming community and the broader community as well. She says the announcement will impact international students who have applied for the 2024 spring and fall sessions.
“This announcement has an immense adverse human and economic impact for our region.” Adamson said in a statement released on Tuesday night. “It is important to recognize the relationship between international students and our local economies. The implementation of international student caps poses a threat not only to the educational experiences of all of our students but also to the vitality of our regional economy. The economic impact of a 50% reduction of international student enrollment will be a staggering loss to our communities: Peterborough, Lindsay and Haliburton.”
Adamson says international students make up almost 30% of the college’s student body.
The federal government recently introduced a cap on international enrollment over the next two years. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the move was necessary in order to “maintain a sustainable level of temporary residence in Canada”.
Adamson points out that Fleming prepares people to work in a variety of services, however she says the impacts would be most pronounced for Early Childhood Education, Personal Support Workers, and Practical Nursing.
“Our college graduates contribute to help close some of the largest labour market gaps in Ontario’s key sectors – health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, automotive, mining, trades and construction, advanced manufacturing and others. We cannot adequately emphasize the gravity of this rash decision on the people; students, our college, community and local businesses and partnerships.”
