DAWSON CREEK -- The mayors of Fort St. John and Dawson Creek are condemning federal changes that cap the number of international post-secondary students accepted into the country.

Earlier this year, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Marc Miller announced temporary measures to drastically reduce the number of study permits granted. The changes would also make international students ineligible to apply for postgraduate work permits.

Mayor Darcy Dober has written a letter to the federal minister, dated October 29, 2024, urging reconsideration of the move and collaboration with local government.

In his letter, the mayor says the decision has negatively impacted Northern Lights College. According to the city, international students contribute $289 million to the local economy and support one in every 15 local jobs.

Dober adds nearly 59 per cent of international students stay in the region after graduation, playing a crucial role in the workforce.

“While these federal policy changes focus on national labour market targets, they must adequately consider the unique regional needs of remote, rural areas like ours,“ read the letter.

Forwarded to Fort St. John Mayor Lilia Hansen and Council, a unanimous decision was reached for the city to write their own letter in support of a regional approach during a November 12th regular meeting.

The letter is based on a brief provided by Northern Lights College, who experessed concern on the impact in Northeast B.C., urging the federal government to collaborate with provincial counterparts and educational leaders to discuss the impact of the decision.

“This approach does not align with the realities of northeast B.C., where international students are vital to the local labour force and economy,” read a briefing note from NLC.

The federal government says the move is necessary to protect students from colleges looking to drive revenues, relieve housing and healthcare pressures, and work towards sustainable population growth.

On average, international students pay nearly five times more in tuition fees across Canada than their domestic counterparts.