\u201cWe acknowledge that a lot of institutions do heavily rely on international [student] fees,\u201d Chirino told us. \u201cOne of our advocacy asks that we\u2019ve had for years is there needs to be more funding in the post-secondary sector because we\u2019ve become more reliant on these international fees, and, really, our argument prior was that if anything were to happen, we would really feel the impact of that. I think after that announcement, we were worried about the implication that it has for our institutions, and how are they going to have all the services on campus? How is that going to affect their budget? Are they going to increase the international student fees [for students] who are currently here? There is a lot of concern there.\u201d<\/p>\n March 5, 2024<\/i><\/b> \u2013 Camosun College announces its provincial attestation letter (PAL) allocation as set by the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. Between January 22, 2024 and January 21, 2025, the college will be able to issue up to 1,643 PALs to prospective international students. Both the college and the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) are pleased with this allocation amount.<\/p>\n \u201cWe still have our complement of returning international students in addition to our permits for new students,\u201d Camosun acting vice president of enrolment and community engagement Richard Stride told Nexus<\/i> at the time<\/a>. \u201cSo, based on the number that the IRCC has stated and the provincial government has given us and the 1,643, we do not see any decline in our international student intake and total number of international students over the coming year.<\/p>\n September 18, 2024<\/i><\/b> \u2013 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announces it will be limiting eligibility to Canada\u2019s post-graduation work permit program, allowing only for international students studying within 966 programs in five eligible areas of education: agriculture and agri-food; health care; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; skilled trades; and transportation.<\/p>\n September 18, 2024<\/i><\/b> \u2013 IRCC also announces that beginning November 1, 2024, the most recent policy changes add an additional 10-percent decrease to all intakes from a previous reduction, capping permits at 437,000 for both 2025 and 2026 enrolments. The cap now includes graduate and doctoral students, who were exempt from the former restrictions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were almost expecting the further decrease in the quota amount, which may have some effect on Camosun, but that is by far not the most serious program change that will impact Camosun,\u201d Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) executive director Michel Turcotte told Nexus<\/i> at the time<\/a>. \u201cThat change is the post-graduate work permit requirements being restricted to particular programs in college environments. And that, I think, will have significant impacts for the most part moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n October 1, 2024<\/i><\/b> \u2013 Camosun says in an email to staff and faculty that the fall semester international student enrolments have already seen a drop of 400 students from its target of 2,200.<\/p>\n October 2, 2024<\/i> <\/b>\u2013 The college runs an opinion piece written by BC Colleges president Colin Ewart on its website<\/a>, speaking out against the changes.<\/p>\n Early November, 2024<\/i><\/b> \u2013 The Camosun College Faculty Association (CCFA) travels to Ottawa with the Vancouver Community College Faculty Association and North Island College Faculty Association to lobby against the federal government decision. The CCFA and CCSS also meet with NDP MP Laurel Collins on campus in November to discuss the situation.<\/p>\n November 12, 2024<\/i><\/b> \u2013 Camosun sends an email to staff and faculty saying that, to offset a projected $5-million deficit in 2025\/26, it needs to make further budget reductions through layoffs and eliminating vacant positions. The email gives emergency crisis line contact info.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/NEXUS-35-8-page-1-for-web-1-194x300.jpg\")
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