Kingston post-secondary institutions to continue to see drop in the number of international students

Over 70K is being allocated to Ontario colleges and universities in 2026.

Fewer international students will be coming to Canada to study.

The federal government announced earlier this week that they will allow 408,000 students to come to Canada for study in 2026. That is down from 437,000 in 2025.

Out of the 408,000 international students, 70,074 is being allocated to universities and colleges in Ontario.

Post-secondary institutions like Queen's University, St. Lawrence College, and Loyalist College will likely be further impacted by the reduction.

Queen's University released a statement saying they remain committed to fostering a globally engaged, diverse, and inclusive campus community. 

They say international students play a vital role in enriching their academic environment and strengthening the social and economic fabric of both the university and the Kingston region.

According to their enrollment report, they had 3,381 undergraduate and graduate international students, from 118 countries of origin in the 2024/25 school year.

St. Lawrence College declined to comment while we did not hear back from Loyalist College by Friday's deadline.

Since a cap in international students was introduced in 2025, there the number of them being admitted to Canada has seen a steady decline. That has resulted in the cancellation of several programs and a reduction of staff at Ontario colleges.

Story by Ken Hashizume