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Conestoga College
Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a public college located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
In 1967, the college was founded as Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology by the government of Ontario to grant diplomas and certificates in career-related, skills-oriented programs.
The college started to offer degree programs in B.Eng. Mechanical Systems Engineering and B.A. Tech Architecture - Project and Facility Management starting in August 2003, and B.A. Tech in Integrated Telecommunication and Computer Technology in 2007.
Corruption and the abandonment of academic ethics and standards to enroll foreign students was alleged in 2016. Conestoga faculty began reporting widespread cheating and fraud dating back to at least 2019. The early 2020s saw 70% to 81% of Conestoga's enrollees as international students, most commonly from India, and a 1,579% increase in international student population since 2014. Its total revenue increased over $137 million year over year.
By 2023, Conestoga College accounted for 30,395 international study permits, more than twice as many as any other post-secondary institution in Canada. In October federal Minister of Immigration Marc Miller threatened a federal crack down on Canadian post secondary institutions operating as "bad actors" if they did not clean up their act. President John Tibbits responded claiming Conestoga was "unfairly grouped" with "bad actors in the sector." In November Cambridge MP Bryan May publicly criticized Conestoga saying "They are exploiting these students." Reports of increased use of local food banks by Conestoga college and other students continued.
In January 2024, at a public event, Conestoga president John Tibbits called fellow Sault College president David Orazietti "a whore" in reference to enrolment practices. In February union locals called for Tibbits to resign. In March, Conestoga College was criticized by the Minister of Immigration over its practice of foreign enrolment. In April Orazietti filed a $200K defamation lawsuit against Conestoga and its president. Public criticism of Conestoga's business practices came also from their own staff. The following month Conestoga announced they were offering 160 employees early retirement in December 2024 in an effort to cut costs following decreased international student demand.
In March 2024, it was reported the college was expected to lose over half of its current international students. In April college staff, faculty and students went public with concerns citing a lack of fundamental skills among those admitted and students who struggle to make ends meet while the college posted a surplus of over $100 million in 2022–23. In August 2024 Conestoga defended running a 2023-24 surplus of over a quarter billion dollars. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized colleges of profiting from high enrolment of foreign students in November, Conestoga declined to respond to his comments. Immigration Minister Marc Miller called out Conestoga saying that making $100 million surplus "isn't the vocation of a college". In December it was reported that 550 Conestoga students had made asylum claims. Canadian colleges working with recruiting entities in India processing tens of thousands of student visas have been implicated in human trafficking by Indian authorities. Conestoga paid $20 million in commissions to international recruitment agencies in 2019–20.
2025 marked a decline in enrolment leading to an announcement of significant staff layoffs. On the same day these layoffs were announced, a 30% salary increase to nearly $640,000 for president John Tibbets was announced. Further layoffs were announced during orientation week, as well as last minute program cuts.
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Conestoga College
Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a public college located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
In 1967, the college was founded as Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology by the government of Ontario to grant diplomas and certificates in career-related, skills-oriented programs.
The college started to offer degree programs in B.Eng. Mechanical Systems Engineering and B.A. Tech Architecture - Project and Facility Management starting in August 2003, and B.A. Tech in Integrated Telecommunication and Computer Technology in 2007.
Corruption and the abandonment of academic ethics and standards to enroll foreign students was alleged in 2016. Conestoga faculty began reporting widespread cheating and fraud dating back to at least 2019. The early 2020s saw 70% to 81% of Conestoga's enrollees as international students, most commonly from India, and a 1,579% increase in international student population since 2014. Its total revenue increased over $137 million year over year.
By 2023, Conestoga College accounted for 30,395 international study permits, more than twice as many as any other post-secondary institution in Canada. In October federal Minister of Immigration Marc Miller threatened a federal crack down on Canadian post secondary institutions operating as "bad actors" if they did not clean up their act. President John Tibbits responded claiming Conestoga was "unfairly grouped" with "bad actors in the sector." In November Cambridge MP Bryan May publicly criticized Conestoga saying "They are exploiting these students." Reports of increased use of local food banks by Conestoga college and other students continued.
In January 2024, at a public event, Conestoga president John Tibbits called fellow Sault College president David Orazietti "a whore" in reference to enrolment practices. In February union locals called for Tibbits to resign. In March, Conestoga College was criticized by the Minister of Immigration over its practice of foreign enrolment. In April Orazietti filed a $200K defamation lawsuit against Conestoga and its president. Public criticism of Conestoga's business practices came also from their own staff. The following month Conestoga announced they were offering 160 employees early retirement in December 2024 in an effort to cut costs following decreased international student demand.
In March 2024, it was reported the college was expected to lose over half of its current international students. In April college staff, faculty and students went public with concerns citing a lack of fundamental skills among those admitted and students who struggle to make ends meet while the college posted a surplus of over $100 million in 2022–23. In August 2024 Conestoga defended running a 2023-24 surplus of over a quarter billion dollars. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized colleges of profiting from high enrolment of foreign students in November, Conestoga declined to respond to his comments. Immigration Minister Marc Miller called out Conestoga saying that making $100 million surplus "isn't the vocation of a college". In December it was reported that 550 Conestoga students had made asylum claims. Canadian colleges working with recruiting entities in India processing tens of thousands of student visas have been implicated in human trafficking by Indian authorities. Conestoga paid $20 million in commissions to international recruitment agencies in 2019–20.
2025 marked a decline in enrolment leading to an announcement of significant staff layoffs. On the same day these layoffs were announced, a 30% salary increase to nearly $640,000 for president John Tibbets was announced. Further layoffs were announced during orientation week, as well as last minute program cuts.