*This article first appeared in The Muse’s 75th Anniversary Print Supplement magazine, published January 2026.
The future of studying abroad in Canada has changed.
In early 2024, the Canadian government announced a temporary cap on student visa acceptances. According to their website, this choice was made in hopes of “better protecting international students from bad actors and supporting sustainable population growth in Canada.”
Since then, educational institutions across the country have seen a downward shift in international demographics. This includes Memorial, with the university reporting a 23.5% decrease in international student enrolment since 2024.
In the wake of change, some international students express concerns about ongoing issues. By sharing their experiences, they hope to inspire other international students and encourage better support systems.
Ongoing issues
Quazi Abrar, president of MUN’s International Student Resource Centre (ISC), has seen these changes firsthand.
He says the current cost of living, alongside a heightened tuition cost, makes studying abroad increasingly difficult for international students.
“The sense of community has changed around MUN, especially around international students, because I feel like people are more focused on making money rather than building community on campus right now.”
Abrar says less involvement will lead to fewer on-campus events and festivals. He believes this will not only affect the current population, but also future international students searching for a welcoming environment.
Recent political science graduate Leisha Toory is also concerned about these changes. While pursuing her B.A. at MUN, Toory dedicated much of her time to local advocacy projects. She founded the Period Priority Project in 2022, aiming to promote menstrual equity and access to period products.
As a former international student herself, she believes a decrease in enrolment is the result of a flawed system, saying “as someone who experienced the financial strain firsthand and still stayed committed to community work, I know how hard it is for international students to balance survival with studies.”
“If fewer international students are coming, we need to treat it as a wake-up call.”
Toory worries Memorial’s community is losing important perspectives and contributions which strengthen it.
Support and Solutions
Both Toory and Abrar believe the first step in supporting international students is listening to their stories.
“International students often carry experiences of migration, financial pressure, cultural adjustment, and sometimes loneliness. Many of us also carry stories of stigma, survival, and resilience that shape the work we do,” says Toory.
She says the university should fund initiatives, publicly recognize achievements, and include international students in decision-making.
To her, true support is “seeing [international students] as partners in building the university community rather than just tuition contributors.”
Abrar says MUN needs to do a better job of documenting the achievements of international students.
In his own experience, the only successes he knew were from people he was personally acquainted with.
“International student achievements are always a good symbol for new international students to look at and feel like, if they can do it, I can do it as well,” he said. “When one international student wins, it really inspires international students in other places.”
Abrar believes the university is responsible for bringing this information forward. While he credits MUN for its inclusion of international students in recent promotional content on campus, he notes that the photos alone are not enough recognition.
“It just feels a little tokenizing sometimes because I see a brown face. I see an Asian face. But why are they there? Who are they? Did they do something interesting or something incredible?”
