NIC Aligns Programs To Meet Labour Market Needs Amid Federal Policy Changes

North Island College is realigning some of its programming In light of recent trends in international student enrolment and federal policy changes.

The college is evaluating and adjusting programs to reflect changing enrolment patterns, with fewer than 10% of the college’s programs no longer accepting students for the 2025/26 academic year.

The adjustments, which unfortunately also include staffing reductions, are being driven by a decline in international student enrolment.

NIC is anticipating a 30% drop in this enrolment for the next academic year.

NIC President and CEO Lisa Domae says they are facing a difficult yet necessary realignment of programs in response to the changes.

“Our focus remains on being responsive to the workforce needs of our communities, and we are committed to continuing to provide a broad range of high-quality education and training opportunities to all of our students, both international and domestic,” she said.

Last fall, the federal government announced significant changes to the Post-Graduate Work Permit eligibility criteria for international students, reducing the number of college programs, a critical factor for international students seeking to stay in Canada and work after graduation.

NIC says prior to that, the federal government’s decision to scale back the number of international students approved to study in Canada already had a significant impact on enrolment at post-secondary institutions across the country.

The college is aligning its offerings with the needs of both students and local employers, part of a commitment to ensure that NIC’s educational programs remain relevant, innovative, and positioned to meet the future demands of the labour market.

Additionally, with the adjustments, NIC says it is currently on track to having a balanced budget for 2025/26, as required by legislation.

For more information, please contact Melanie Nagy, Associate Director Community and Public Affairs at media@nic.bc.ca.