Union says further cuts to international study permits will 'raise fears' of layoffs at Mohawk

Further cuts to international study permits outlined in the federal budget will “raise fears” over layoffs, the union representing Mohawk College support workers said.

By 2027, the Liberal government’s new immigration plan outlined in Tuesday’s budget will cut, by more than half, the number of new international students that can come to study in Canada.

This follows recent Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) caps that have had profound financial effects on post-secondary institutions, especially colleges that rely heavily on foreign students.

“Funding for quality post-secondary education in Ontario can’t rely on volatile factors like international study permits and the steep tuition international students pay,” OPSEU 241 president Susan Lau said in an email. “The cri