OTTAWA - Travel restrictions and a shift to online learning has dramatically cut the number of international students expected to attend Canadian universities and colleges this fall, and the decline will ripple through Canada’s labor market.
While fall semester enrollment is not yet finalized, Canadian schools are expecting a “significant” drop in international students, according to their advocacy groups, which will slash billions from college and university revenues. This means a potential labor shortage for some employers, with fewer students in the near-term for work placements and internships, and then a longer-term dip in new graduates entering the labor force.
The problem is particularly pressing in rural or remote regions of Canada, where the workforce is rapidly aging and young people tend to leave for major urban centers.“Immigration and international students are a key part of our population growth strategy in Atlantic Canada,” said Joel Richardson, spokesman for Cooke Aquaculture, a fast-growing Canadian seafood producer with operations in 10 countries.