When Kashish Sharma left her home in India in September 2023 to study hospitality management at Georgian College in Barrie, she was filled with hope - hope to learn about an industry she loves and build a career.

However, just last week, this 20-year-old student successfully completed the final project of her two-year diploma course and was preparing for employment at a local resort when she realized that the field she studied has undergone significant changes. Ninety-five percent of her class are international students, and their original optimism has been replaced by fear.

In the past 16 months, a series of immigration policy changes made by the Canadian federal government have been reshaping the landscape of higher education. Since the federal government first imposed a cap on the number of international students in January 2024, there has been a sharp decline in enrollment numbers at colleges across Ontario, leading to millions in fiscal deficits, layoffs, and program closures.

"No one wants to come to Canada under such uncertain circumstances now," said Sharma, who is graduating from the "Hospitality and Resort Operations Management" program. "It's not their fault."

The programs most affected are various colleges, particularly those related to hospitality and tourism education, which have suffered not only from a sharp drop in enrollments but also from being marginalized due to not being on the list of eligible programs for post-graduation work permits.

"What these students are experiencing is devastating," said Alyson Swarbrick, coordinator of Georgian College's aviation services program. She has witnessed the entire learning journey of Sharma and her classmates, teaching them in their first semester and now in their final one. Even though these graduating students still qualify for work permits under the old policies, Swarbrick says they are tormented by uncertainty.

"The mood among this year's graduates is unlike any other class we've seen before."

Since these students enrolled, several colleges in Ontario have gradually shut down hospitality and tourism courses, including at least 22 culinary programs. The program Sharma is in has been suspended – Georgian College will no longer admit new students to its Barrie campus this summer, and neither will it do so in the South Georgian Bay campus this fall. Some colleges expect the number of international new hotel students they will admit this fall may be as low as 10.

This series of changes has already raised alarm bells in the industry, as tourism and hospitality sectors have traditionally relied on these colleges for the "student-to-employee" pipeline.

"Without Ontario's public colleges, Ontario's tourism and hospitality sector would face a severe staffing crisis," said Maureen Adamson, interim president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. "Now, there isn't a single culinary program operating in all of Eastern Ontario, and this is precisely when Canadians are more inclined to stay within the country for vacations."

Ontario Tourism Industry Association (TIAO) estimates that Ontario will lose approximately 20,000 international students in the workforce this year, exacerbating existing labor shortages.

Industry insiders point out that consumers may notice longer wait times for a cup of coffee—or their favorite restaurants having to reduce their menu options or operating hours. This trend is expected to worsen in the fall when paused admission programs fail to supply new talent to the industry.

However, experts note that this might serve as a "wake-up call," making the public realize that the impact of changes to international student policies extends far beyond the higher education system itself.

"When people start realizing how these policies affect their daily lives," Swarbrick said, "they might begin to truly care."

According to TIAO, despite inflationary pressures, Ontario's tourism sector achieved sales and growth levels comparable to pre-pandemic levels in 2023, with total visitor spending exceeding CAD 33 billion. Employment is expected to grow to 763,000 by 2027, but labor shortages continue to intensify, with vacancy rates expected to approach 6%. In particular, demand is high for positions such as restaurant supervisors, chefs, and hotel front desk attendants.

"International students have always been an important part of our workforce, especially in roles like kitchens and housekeeping," said Hani Roustom, CEO of the high-end community Friday Harbour Resort located on Lake Simcoe.

Roustom said he has consistently hired students from Georgian College and has clearly noticed a decrease in summer internship applications this year. Although he described the change as "not drastic," it was enough to raise concerns about the future.

"Hospitality is a growing industry with a wide range of career development opportunities, and international students have always played a key role in it," he said, adding that colleges are the main channel for providing technical talent.

Ontario’s 24 public colleges offer over 300 courses related to cooking, hospitality, entertainment, and tourism, most of which are two-year diploma programs.

In these fields, international student enrollments have historically been high. For example, last fall, Niagara College had 466 international students in four tourism/hospitality programs, compared to only 64 domestic students; this winter, Humber College had 352 international students compared to 49 domestic students in hotel and restaurant management programs; at George Brown College, 40% of its 3,000 students in hospitality and culinary arts are international students.

Fanshi Du, a 33-year-old Chinese student who came to Georgian College two years ago, tried to combine his accounting background with hospitality and tourism management. He was attracted by the program's emphasis on "theory + practice": "Everything is based on real scenarios. First theory, then practice."

Some critics argue that this field is a "shortcut" to permanent residency in Canada, but educators emphasize that this profession involves much more than just cleaning rooms. Students learn how to interpret financial statements, communicate effectively, solve problems, and build relationships—all skills applicable in other industries as well.

"If I were to say whether this program is as difficult as a legal assistant or accounting diploma?" said Bryan Hunt, dean of Georgian College's hospitality management department. "Maybe not, but we cultivate a different set of skills."

As an international student, Du can legally work up to 24 hours per week, currently working as a kitchen helper at a fast-food chain. Before graduating in August, he will complete an internship at a resort in Muskoka, where he will handle front desk duties and night audits. He hopes to apply for permanent resident status.

"This is a challenging industry," Hunt admitted. His position now also covers automotive and business programs, reflecting a structural integration trend within the college. "Long working hours, no traditional holidays, and often low starting salaries."

But industry insiders say these are merely "entry-level thresholds." "Entry-level positions are just the beginning, not the end," said Andrew Siegwart, chairman of TIAO, countering the notion that the tourism industry cannot offer career advancement and income growth. "We need to clearly communicate these career paths."

Swarbrick believes part of the responsibility lies in deeply ingrained perceptions among Canadian families—when teenagers say they want to work in hotels, parents' typical reaction is, "You should aim for something better."

This misunderstanding, combined with declining birth rates, has led to fewer local students choosing to enter this industry.

Meanwhile, over a decade of insufficient government funding and frozen tuition fees have forced colleges, especially community colleges, to rely heavily on high-tuition international students to sustain operations and course offerings.

This trend has led to a surge in international student numbers, sparking public debate about their role in Canada's housing crisis. In response, Canada's immigration department introduced a quota policy in 2024, cutting the number of international students accepted by 35%, limiting this year's study permit approvals to 316,276.

In addition, new restrictions have been added to the International Student Program. Last fall, the immigration department released a "Post-Graduation Work Permit Eligible Programs List" consisting of 966 projects, supposedly selected based on labor market demands—but ultimately, hospitality and tourism programs were removed from the initial draft list.

Colleges across Ontario, which depend heavily on tourism, widely protested this policy, arguing that it ignores the actual needs of local and regional economies.

"We are located in one of Canada's top tourist destinations, giving us a unique perspective on the impact of this policy," said Michael Wales, spokesperson for Niagara College. "Tens of thousands of local employees, hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions heavily rely on our graduates, and there simply aren't enough local students to meet the manpower needs."

Last November, Ontario's Minister of Higher Education, Nolan Quinn, pushed to add nine hospitality and tourism-related majors to the Post-Graduation Work Permit list. However, according to a provincial spokesperson, Bianca Giacoboni, "The federal government did not adopt a regional perspective, especially regarding Ontario's hospitality and tourism industry."

Despite ongoing lobbying by colleges and industry organizations, they expressed difficulty achieving breakthroughs given the upcoming federal election and tense international trade situation.

The immigration department declined to respond specifically to questions from The Toronto Star, only stating that it will continue to collaborate with provinces, designated institutions, and national educational stakeholders "to develop sustainable pathways for international students."

Spokesperson Rémi Larivière stated that while future policies cannot be predicted, "we expect to update the Post-Graduation Work Permit eligible program list annually."

Meanwhile, TIAO Chairman Siegwart said this decision sends a clear message: "If you study this major, it will be hard to stay in Canada." He questioned, "Given that there is no work permit qualification after graduation, who would want to enroll in a hospitality program?" "The already declining enrollment numbers have become even worse."

Some of Ontario's most renowned hospitality and tourism colleges expect a 60% to 100% drop in international student registrations this fall.

Georgian College's current situation is already evident. This year's annual recruitment fair, which usually attracts around 1,000 students, saw only 600 attendees looking for internships or jobs after graduation. Hunt predicts that next year this number may drop to 300.

"Our students often take on jobs that local students don't want to do: working night shifts at gas stations, baking bread at Tim Hortons early morning shifts," Swarbrick said. She added that many people have already started noticing, "Where are the employees? Why does it take so long to get my coffee?" She expects the pressure on resorts and hotels to become more apparent this summer.

And a year later, she warns, "People will clearly see where the problem lies."

Source of News:

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/canadas-international-student-cap-has-devastated-these-college-programs-you-might-feel-it-on-your/article_57dfca7d-2d79-4fe7-b6cc-b23ed4d2ec3f.html

Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7495963808553239051/

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