The University of Saskatchewan reported an 11.5 per cent decline in international enrolment in fall 2024, representing roughly 280 fewer students, even as its overall student population rose slightly. University officials linked the change to new federal limits and requirements affecting study permits and post-graduation work.
The immediate enrolment picture
Vice-provost Jerome Cranston said the decline had been anticipated after Ottawa changed the International Student Program. International undergraduates were most directly affected because most new applicants at that level needed to fit within provincial allocations under a national intake cap.
A percentage and raw number describe the same fall cohort differently. They should not be mixed with later full-year counts, graduate enrolment or applications, which can produce other totals.
What changed federally
Beginning in January 2024, most new college and undergraduate applicants had to include a provincial or territorial attestation letter with a study-permit application. The federal government said the temporary cap was intended to slow rapid growth and protect students from institutions and communities without adequate capacity.
Canada had also increased the amount an applicant needed to demonstrate for living expenses and announced new post-graduation work-permit rules. Cranston said entry and the path to Canadian work experience had become more difficult.
Why international students matter to a university
Students from other countries contribute tuition, research, classroom perspectives and local spending. They may also become workers in communities facing skill shortages after graduation, provided they qualify under immigration law.
Institutions often charge international tuition well above domestic rates because provincial funding does not support those students in the same way. Heavy financial dependence can create risk when federal policy or global demand changes quickly.
The university’s budget position
USask said at the time that it did not expect the fall decline to threaten programme funding because it did not rely on international tuition to sustain its core programmes. That statement was specific to the institution and period, not proof that revenue changes had no effect anywhere.
Future budgets still needed transparent enrolment scenarios. Recruitment targets should be tied to housing, advising, health care and academic support rather than tuition revenue alone.
Housing and affordability had not immediately eased
Students’ union president Krunal Chavda said students were still struggling with jobs and housing despite the policy’s stated goal of reducing pressure. A change in new permits would take time to affect vacancy rates and could be outweighed by broader population and market conditions.
International students cannot be treated as the sole cause of a housing shortage created by years of low construction, population change and limited student residences. Governments and institutions share responsibility for aligning admissions with capacity.
Canada’s reputation as a destination
Chavda and Cranston warned that frequent rule changes could make Canada appear less predictable. Prospective students compare tuition, work rights, immigration pathways, safety and treatment across several countries before committing substantial family savings.
Clear transitional rules and accurate communication are essential. Agents or recruiters should never imply that a study permit guarantees employment or permanent residence.
A Saskatchewan-specific response
University leaders planned to speak with federal and provincial officials about an approach reflecting Saskatchewan’s circumstances. The province did not face exactly the same housing and institutional pressures as Canada’s largest metropolitan markets.
Any regional flexibility should still enforce programme quality and student protection. The 11.5 per cent decline was an early signal of a national policy shift; the responsible response was to monitor retention, finances and student well-being rather than chase enrolment volume without adequate support.
