Edmonton’s post-secondary institutions are juggling significant changes and adjusting to new normals. It’s a challenging academic and organizational double whammy.
NorQuest, NAIT, MacEwan and the University of Alberta are dealing with the needs and demands of the changing workplace, adjusting enrolment levels and managing cash flows and the budget impacts of the federal foreign student cap policies.
Academically, it’s more, much more, than the tsunami of AI. Edmonton area programs and courses are being developed and upgraded to provide students with the training and education for the new skills and warp-speed expectations of today’s workplace. At the same time, in terms of organizational management, Edmonton’s post-secondary institutions are dealing with the federal government’s foreign student policy changes, which significantly impact their cash flows and business plans.
The rationale for the federal government’s early-2024 implementation of the lowered student cap policy was mostly a response to two concerns: an uncontrolled surge in international student enrolment and because many foreign students were enrolled in lower-quality private education institutions.
Also, prior to 2024, the existing student permit system created wide opportunities for abuse, threatening Canada’s reputation as a high-quality destination for international students.
The government stats and numbers also made the case that the foreign student permit situation had spiralled out of control. Citing 2022 as just a recent example, 550,000 international student permits were issued, which was a 75 per cent increase from five years prior.
The 2024 foreign student cap established a yearly limit of 360,000 study permits for two years, resulting in a 35 per cent decrease from 2022 levels. The impact on institutions like NAIT, University of Alberta, NorQuest and MacEwan was inevitable.
From a business bottom line, foreign students represent a significant source of revenue. For several years, to compensate for public funding shortfalls, many institutions strategized and opened their doors to more international students, who pay up to five times as much for tuition as domestic students.
It is why the federal government’s reduced student cap continues to broadside Edmonton enrolments, and why Edmonton post-secondary officials begrudgingly admit the need to manage already strained operating budgets and generate alternate enrolment fees to offset the student cap losses.
But it’s not only about money!
Academically, programs and courses are being adjusted and refocused to meet new demands for the new skills of the changing workplace.
“NAIT is committed to delivering academic programming that meets the evolving needs of students, industry and Alberta’s economic growth,” says Peter Leclaire, NAIT vice-president academic. “We are constantly evaluating our programs to ensure we continue to equip graduates with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing workforce.
“NAIT is currently developing several new programs in the areas of health, IT, automation, AI and business. These new programs will help the polytechnic expand into growth areas, strengthen student pathways and ensure graduates are equipped for the careers of tomorrow.”
University of Alberta provost and vice-president academic, Dr. Verna Yiu, is enthusiastic.
“As one of Canada’s leading research-intensive universities, University of Alberta continually evolves programs and courses to prepare graduates with the knowledge, skills and adaptability to thrive in a rapidly changing world. We’re also expanding flexible learning opportunities, including online programs and micro-credentials, to help learners upskill and reskill throughout their careers.”
Edmonton’s University of Alberta is a globally recognized leader in artificial intelligence research, with innovators making key contributions to everything from autonomous vehicles and reducing greenhouse gases to health informatics and precision health imaging.
“Recognizing the surging role of AI in the workplace, the university has become a leader in tailoring today’s education for the jobs of tomorrow,” she adds.
According to Alison Reaves, NorQuest College’s associate dean of work integrated learning, “There is significantly increased interest in AI and machine learning programs. Our machine learning analyst diploma program provides students with the chance to work on real-world projects with businesses, municipalities, non-profit organizations and museums to build AI-driven custom apps and dashboards that address critical challenges those organizations face.”
She also mentions another new NorQuest normal: the popular digital information certificate, geared towards neurodiverse students. It is Canada’s only accredited tech-focused certificate designed specifically for the needs of neurodiverse learners.
Leclaire explains that technology, particularly the pervasive impact of AI, is transforming programs and courses.
“The speed at which AI is affecting every industry, including post-secondary institutions, is phenomenal and the changes will continue as workplaces continue to evolve. Rather than treating AI as a stand-alone subject, NAIT is moving toward embedding AI literacy and ethical practices across existing programs, so students learn how to use AI tools within the context of their specific field.”
As in business, post-secondary education also has an unavoidable bottom line: budgets. Despite the positive, exciting and altruistic focus on meaningful, relevant and innovative programs and courses, it is also a challenging big business – and the federal foreign student caps have a serious effect on revenue streams and budgets.
Understandably, despite the challenges, most colleges and universities are reluctant to judge, criticize or blame the federal policy. The formal and off-the-record reaction is cautiously concerned, as post-secondary schools are sounding the alarm about severe financial shortfalls and steep drops in applications, prompting discussions about possible domestic tuition hikes.
The cause and effect (and the pushback) are straightforward. Since international students pay significantly higher tuition, losing that valuable revenue creates limited options for moving forward.
“The changes made by the federal government have affected post-secondary institutions across Canada, and NAIT is no exception,” Leclaire admits. “We monitor the numbers closely and it guides our planning and our recruitment strategies. In response, NAIT is focused on growing domestic enrolment, while strengthening pathways for students and maintaining program offerings that support the province’s workforce needs.”
NAIT’s enrolment stats illustrate the problem – and the solution – for the effects of the foreign student cap.
In 2023-24, domestic student enrolment was 33,349 and international student enrolment was 5,046. In 2025-26, domestic student enrolment was 36,582, and international student enrolment was 4,336.
Reaves points out, “NorQuest has also seen a decrease in enrolment of international students. The federal government cap, along with changes in IRCC student visa rules, has led to a drop of approximately 1,000 international students from 2024 to 2025.
“The upside is that we’re seeing increased interest from Indigenous and domestic students, and a comparison of NorQuest’s enrolment numbers underscores the significance of domestic enrolment.”
In 2025-26, NorQuest had just under 15,900 learners enrolled in credit programming, about 1,500 more than in 2022-23. The growth was driven by domestic enrolment (up 18 per cent), which partially offset the decline in international enrolment (down 12 per cent).
There is also foreign student cap positivity at the University of Alberta.
“Over the past five years, our enrolment has grown from 43,291 to 47,562,” Dr. Yiu says. “We are aiming to meet a 60,000 total headcount by fall 2033, and yes, over the past three years, we have experienced a 7 per cent year-over-year increase in demand and domestic undergraduate applications.”
All things considered, despite the foreign student revenue shortfalls and other speed bumps, the business of Edmonton’s post-secondary institutions is resilient.