Providence University Faces Layoffs, Cuts Programs Amid Enrollment Decline

Providence University College and Theological Seminary is laying off 10 percent of its workforce and significantly reducing its academic programming due to a sharp decline in international student enrollment. The faith-based institution, located in Otterburne, Manitoba, has reported a staggering loss of 90 percent of its international student body, resulting in a revenue drop of nearly 50 percent.

During a recent town hall meeting, Kent Anderson, the university’s president, described the situation as dire, likening the impact of the federal government’s cap on study permits to “a tsunami.” The institution’s budget for the upcoming academic year is projected to be approximately $13.5 million, a significant decrease from $26 million in the previous year.

The university, which employs around 115 staff members, is implementing cost-saving measures that include job cuts, leaving positions unfilled, and reducing employees’ hours. This announcement follows the recent closure of the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, which also cited a decline in international tuition as a reason for its shutdown. The University of Winnipeg has similarly frozen hiring due to comparable challenges.

Anderson outlined a new strategy for Providence called “a dual retraction and attraction scenario.” This approach involves pausing certain programs, identifying cost reductions across departments, and scaling back operations on the Winnipeg campus. Simultaneously, the administration is developing “Providence Global,” an initiative aimed at expanding graduate education to various cities worldwide.

The challenges faced by Providence are part of a larger issue affecting Canadian post-secondary institutions. Since 2024, colleges and universities have received a limited number of annual provincial attestation letters, which are necessary for prospective international students to apply for study permits. Manitoba has been allocated 11,196 letters for the upcoming year, with only 110 designated for Providence. In contrast, the school received 87 letters in 2024 and 130 letters in the previous year, but only about half of these have resulted in actual admissions.

Advanced Education Minister Renée Cable has been vocal about the detrimental effects of the federal government’s immigration policy changes. She stated, “It’s been devastating. I can’t overstate how much of an impact it’s had on our post-secondary system.” Federal officials have defended the changes as necessary to protect international students from diploma mills and to alleviate pressure on housing and healthcare services.

In light of these cuts, Providence is indefinitely pausing its communications and media as well as its intercultural studies programs. The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) initiative will also be discontinued, a decision that left assistant professor Ana Soares in tears as she expressed her distress over the program’s imminent shutdown. Soares, originally from São Paulo, Brazil, had moved to Manitoba as an international student in 2019 and played a significant role in expanding the TESOL program.

Historically, international students have represented more than half of Providence’s overall student population. The institution had planned to expand its international outreach but has since faced significant setbacks. In a recent move, Providence sold a building intended for dormitory purposes, illustrating the financial strains the university is currently experiencing.

Looking ahead, a total of 999 international students are expected to graduate in the 2025-26 academic year, yet the school is grappling with the reality of dwindling enrollment and reduced funding.

As the educational landscape shifts, both Providence and other institutions in Manitoba are now focusing on domestic recruitment strategies while adjusting their academic offerings to align with the new realities of international education. The decisions made in the coming months will play a crucial role in determining the future of Providence University College and Theological Seminary.