Alec Salloum
Regina Leader-Post
Facing headwinds from a collapse in international student enrolment, Saskatchewan Polytechnic has laid off 14 more employees, with further cuts to come.
The total number so far this year is now up to 41 after 27 other employees received pink slips in April.
The decision was made due to a significant decrease in student enrolment, the post-secondary institution said in an emailed statement to the Regina Leader-Post on Wednesday.
“As a result of federal immigration policy changes, post-secondary institutions across Canada are experiencing a significant decline in international student enrolment,” said the statement.
When 27 employees were laid off in April, the school pointed to U.S. tariffs and a reduction in international student enrolment as factors. Those layoffs impacted 13 faculty members, 10 professional services positions and four out-of-scope employees.
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In a July 27 internal email to Saskatchewan Polytechnic staff obtained by the Leader-Post, school president and CEO Larry S. Rosia said he anticipates “a clearer picture of the full extent of the impact by early fall.”
Rosia said in another communication to staff on Aug. 6 that two offices have been dissolved: enterprise project management and special advisor. Both were under the purview of Dr. Has Malik, the school’s provost and academic vice-president. Also, Rosia announced the consolidation of the faculty of business and management and the faculty of digital innovation, arts and sciences under one dean.
“Layoff notices have been issued to 14 out-of-scope employees and 8 vacant positions will not be filled. This represents a 10 per cent reduction to Sask Polytech’s out-of-scope workforce,” said Wednesday’s statement from Sask. Polytech. “More difficult decisions will be necessary in the months ahead.”
Michelle Downton, president of the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Faculty Association, confirmed in emails to the Leader-Post that there will be additional “layoffs announced in the next couple weeks.”
She added that the school “is facing a $14–15 million revenue shortfall, largely due to a profound reduction in international student tuition revenue. This drop is a direct result of recent federal policy changes affecting international student admissions and visa caps.”
The Government of Saskatchewan said in an email that Sask. Polytech and other post-secondary institutions are hurting from federal policy changes.
The federal government halved the number of available Provincial Nominee Program spots from 110,000 to 55,000 in 2024. That translated to a similar cut to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), down to 3,600 spots, from 7,200.
The SINP criteria for international students was also revised this year, which placed additional requirements on applicants.
“The Government of Saskatchewan has been and continues to advocate for our post-secondary institutions to the federal government on this issue,” said the province’s email.
Downton called on the provincial government to “adequately and sustainably fund public post-secondary education” in light of the downturn.
“This is not just a fiscal issue,” she said. “It is a question of provincial priorities.”
Tajinder Grewal, Saskatchewan NDP critic for advanced education, criticized the government’s funding regime for Sask. Polytech. In a news release, he said the province “should never have been in this position in the first place.”
An emailed statement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said it would not comment on the financial health of individual schools.
“Education is a provincial and territorial responsibility in Canada — so is the adequate funding of post-secondary institutions,” said IRCC’s statement, adding that the number of immigrants welcomed to Canada each year is determined by the federal Immigration Levels Plan.
“The Government of Canada expects designated learning institutions to only accept the number of students that they can reasonably support, including providing housing options for them.”
The school did not say which programs or locations will be affected by the latest layoffs, but Downton indicated the future cuts are anticipated to impact in-scope and out-of-scope employees.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic offers diploma and degree programs as well as apprenticeship training at campuses in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.
This news comes as the school is preparing for construction of a new campus in Saskatoon, supported by a $200-million commitment from the province for the project.
alsalloum@postmedia.com
