Ontario Allocates International Student Spots, Public Colleges Dominate

Public colleges and universities in Ontario will receive the majority of the international student application spots designated for 2026. The federal government has significantly reduced the overall number of spots available, leading to a new allocation strategy. According to Post-secondary Minister Nolan Quinn, 96 percent of these spots will go to public institutions, while only four percent will be available for private universities and language schools.

The federal government has issued 104,780 “provincial attestation letters” (PALs) to Ontario, which can translate into a maximum of 70,074 actual study permits. This figure represents a dramatic 42 percent decrease from the previous year. Notably, master’s and doctoral students at public universities are exempt from needing these letters, which streamlines their application process, although they still count toward the province’s total international study permit cap.

In 2025, Ontario received 181,590 PALs, allowing for 116,740 permits, while in 2024, there were 235,000 PALs with a cap of 141,000 permits. The Council of Ontario Universities expects to receive approximately 24,600 applications for 2026, a decrease from 36,725 the previous year. Steve Orsini, president and CEO of the council, emphasized the importance of responsible recruitment and support for international students, warning that continued reductions in PAL allocations could severely impact Ontario’s ability to cultivate talent and hinder university research and innovation.

The financial implications of these cuts are considerable. Ontario’s post-secondary institutions have already faced a loss of over $4.6 billion in revenues due to high tuition rates for international students. Maureen Adamson, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario, which represents 24 colleges, expressed concern over the sustainability of these institutions. She stated, “This overall allocation, resulting from yet another federal policy directive, will have a tremendously negative impact on the financial sustainability of colleges in Ontario, already facing existential financial pressures.”

The provincial government is currently reviewing the funding formula for post-secondary schools in light of these challenges. Meti Basiri, co-founder of ApplyBoard, noted that the allocation strategy mirrors trends from the previous two years, with public institutions receiving the majority of spots. However, he advocates for a shift that would provide more spaces to public colleges, particularly for programs in health support services and trades, which are costly to run and require international tuition revenues to support domestic students.

The current landscape for international student recruitment in Canada is complicated. Basiri pointed out that many institutions have struggled to fill their allocated spots in recent years, indicating a significant drop in interest in studying in Canada. “We have a demand issue,” he said, highlighting the impact of changing immigration policies that have led to a substantial decrease in international student arrivals. According to the federal Immigration Department, 103,480 new international students came to Canada between January and October, a sharp decline from 293,125 in 2024.

The changing dynamics of international education have prompted academic researchers to take note. Lisa Brunner, a research associate with the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Migration Studies, indicated that the PAL allocation process will gain increased attention as federal targets decrease and align more closely with recruitment realities. “PALs will become a more limited commodity,” she stated, suggesting that institutions will need to adapt to a new normal in terms of student recruitment and support.

As Ontario’s post-secondary institutions navigate these challenges, the future of international student recruitment and its impact on the workforce remains uncertain. The provincial government’s ongoing review of funding formulas may offer some relief, but institutions are already bracing for the long-term consequences of these significant changes.