(TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA) Toronto Metropolitan University has changed its tuition rules for international students who work in Canada, and the shift is already hitting wallets. Starting with the fall 2025 term, TMU will allow only those on closed (employer-specific) work permits to pay domestic tuition. International students with an open work permit—who were previously eligible for the lower rate—are now excluded. The university says the new approach clarifies eligibility, but more than 200 students, mostly Iranian, have been told they must pay international fees that can be nearly five times higher than before.

What the policy change means

At the centre of the TMU policy change is the distinction between open and closed work permits:

• A closed (employer-specific) work permit ties a worker to one named employer (and may include job location and role).
• An open work permit allows someone to work for most employers and offers flexibility.

TMU now treats only the closed permit as proof that a student should be charged domestic rates. Under the updated rule, students on open permits must pay full international tuition starting in 2025–2026 unless they switch to a closed permit or qualify another way.

Financial impact

The price jump is steep and immediate for affected students:

• International tuition (full-time undergraduate) at TMU for 2025–2026 is approximately CAD 36,800 to CAD 42,500 per year.
• For many, that is almost five times what they previously paid at the domestic rate.
• More than 200 students—many from Iran—have been notified they will be billed at international rates.

Students who budgeted for one fee level and now face another find the gap unmanageable. Many affected students are advanced in their programs and have limited time to adjust work hours, find new funding, or change their permit status.

TMU support and limitations

TMU points to some institutional aid options, but these are limited:

• Emergency Bursary: Available to help international students facing sudden financial crises.
  • Important limitation: TMU’s guidance says the bursary is not designed to cover routine tuition changes or cases where a student’s domestic fee eligibility ends solely due to their permit category.
  • In short, the bursary can help with emergencies, not a permanent or structural tuition hike.

The university frames the move as aligning fee status with current work authorization categories. Advocates and students argue the rule is too blunt and harms those who relied on the prior practice of counting open work permits for domestic fees.

Options for affected students (trade-offs)

Practical choices exist but each carries trade-offs:

1. Seek employer sponsorship for a closed work permit
   • Pros: Could restore domestic tuition eligibility under TMU’s rule.
   • Cons: Ties the student to one employer; can be slow and unrealistic for those balancing studies and part-time work.
2. Appeal for internal financial aid
   • Pros: May provide short-term relief for acute hardship.
   • Cons: Not intended to cover ongoing tuition increases or permanent loss of domestic status.
3. Reduce course load or take a leave of absence to work more
   • Pros: May increase income to cover higher fees.
   • Cons: Delays graduation, may affect status if dropping below full-time, and can increase total costs if tuition rises later.
4. Transfer to another institution
   • Pros: Potentially find more favourable rules.
   • Cons: Credits may not transfer cleanly; other schools may adopt similar restrictions.

Broader context: federal policy and trends

The TMU change occurs alongside federal policy shifts:

• Analysis by VisaVerge.com notes that in 2025 the federal government tightened eligibility for open work permits for family members of international students and some temporary foreign workers.
• Starting January 2025, rules made it harder for families to rely on open permits—reducing a common safety net for households.
• While universities set their own tuition rules, the timing means students face both school-level and national changes at once, increasing pressure on household budgets.

VisaVerge.com reports institutions across Canada are reviewing fee rules tied to work authorization as federal guidelines evolve. Not all schools are choosing the same path as TMU, but the trend is toward clearer and stricter eligibility definitions. Prospective students should budget using the higher international tuition range unless they are certain they will hold a closed work permit that TMU recognizes for domestic rates.

Practical advice for current TMU students

If you are a current TMU student affected by this change, take these steps now:

• Confirm your permit type well ahead of the fall 2025 deadline.
• Keep written proof of your work permit status and any employer documentation.
• Ask the registrar how the rule applies to your specific situation and whether any transitional provisions exist.
• If you are near completion, request a program completion plan that accounts for the new costs.
• If you are considering an employer-specific permit, weigh job security and flexibility against the benefit of potentially retaining domestic tuition status.

For official definitions and current rules on work permit types, see Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s guide: IRCC: Types of work permits (open vs. employer-specific).

Wider impacts and final notes

• The policy’s reach is not only financial; it affects mental health, academic performance, and family stability.
• Students forced to add shifts or juggle multiple jobs risk falling grades, burnout, or even loss of status if they drop below full-time without planning.
• With tuition at CAD 36,800 to CAD 42,500, even small delays in planning or uncertain employer support can be costly.

Students, employers, and the university face difficult choices. Confirm your status early, document everything, and evaluate the trade-offs of employer-sponsored permits versus flexibility and academic progress.