Ontario colleges lay off part-time instructors due to enrollment drop

Ontario's colleges are facing significant challenges due to a drop in foreign student enrollment. As a result, layoffs and budget cuts are affecting hundreds of part-time instructors. Shannon Knelsen, a health care management instructor, has seen a drastic change in her work situation. After teaching at multiple colleges for nearly eight years, she is now left without offers for the upcoming spring term. Three of her four former employers have said they cannot provide her with teaching jobs. Just a year ago, she was managing multiple classes and declining additional offers. The drop in international students follows changes to the student visa program. In the past two years, the federal government has cut the number of international study permits issued. This has lowered enrollments, which are crucial for college funding. International tuition fees made up around a third of the revenue for Ontario colleges in the last academic year, amounting to about $2.3 billion. College officials have expressed concerns about the damage to Canada's reputation abroad, leading to a significant drop in applications from foreign students. Many part-time instructors are now struggling to find work as the college system relies heavily on precarious employment. Ms. Knelsen and her colleagues are anxious about their futures and are seeking other job opportunities, but competition is tough. She has applied for over 100 jobs with only two interviews so far. Many international students in her classes are also feeling disillusioned with their career prospects in Canada, feeling they were misled about future job opportunities. Colleges Ontario has urged the provincial government to increase funding for the college system, which is among the lowest in Canada on a per-student basis. The college sector has already cut spending significantly this fiscal year, highlighting the financial crisis caused by falling enrollment numbers.