Universities Canada President Paul Davidson says post-secondary schools will suffer heavily if enrollment of international students declines drastically because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Fabiana Costa is an international student studying at Seneca College in Toronto. The former lawyer began her Transportation and Customs program in 2019 and found a part-time job in the industry to help meet her daily expenses.
After Covid-19 hit Canada, Costa’s classes were moved online, and she later lost her job.
Unlike most people in her situation, Costa doesn’t qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and a student loan. She’s neither Canadian nor a permanent resident.
She ’s now unable to pay for her upcoming tuition for her final, leaving her considering returning to Brazil.
International students make up about 50 percent of the total tuition revenue in Canada.
According to the federal government’s report on international education strategy plan, foreign students contributed an estimated $21.6 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2018.
The economic impact of international students doesn't stop at the tuition fees. According to Universities Canada President Paul Davidson, the economic impact of international students is as important to Canada as the contributions of industries like softwood lumber, wheat, and the automotive sector.
Davidson pointed to 2018 when Canada lost students coming from Saudi Arabia because of a diplomatic dispute. Because of that, schools faced the decision of cutting down classes, labs, and resources.
Canadian post-secondary faculty groups have called for government aid.
“One of the things that people have not noticed over the last decade or so is that governments, both federal and provincial, now fund less than 50 percent of the cost of higher education,” Davidson said.
Cape Breton University officials suggested that the school could have a $45 million shortfall because of Covid-19 which may lead to substantial job layoffs.
“Layoffs would be 'destructive not just to the universities themselves, but a huge economic hit for the communities,” says Scott Stewart, a professor at Cape Breton University.
It all comes down to institutions ensuring safe, secure, and flexible learning environments for students.
“I think that's really what it's all about: how we can maintain the registration. Because really, this is for the future of the province — for the future of the country — to have a strong population of university graduates,” Laurentian University President Robert Haché said.
Written By : Aldrin Gomes
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