Illustrations by Michelle Mildenberg

In canada, theological schools have a head start on some of the current events that have gripped their colleagues to the south. For example, in early 2024, the Canadian federal government moved to dramatically reduce student visas by 35 percent, something that American schools are now considering. Canadian educators are also regular international travelers and have a keen understanding of issues related to crossing borders and migration.

In Trust asked a group of leading Canadian theological educators for their thoughts, experiences and perspectives on current political issues. They include: Darren Dias, Ph.D., executive director at the Toronto School of Theology in Toronto, Ontario; Kenton Anderson, Ph.D., president, Providence University College and Theological Seminary in Otterburne, Manitoba; Richard Topping, Ph.D., president and vice-chancellor, Vancouver School of Theology in Vancouver, British Columbia; and Rod Wilson, Ph.D., faculty coach with the In Trust Center’s Wise Stewards Initiative.

If your school is getting more money from international students, or you’ve got programs geared specifically to international students, you’re going to be hit pretty hard.

What is the impact of the Canadian government’s action to limit student visas?

Darren Dias: We had a slight drop in applications. But the process of getting a study permit is just as problematic. The processing times for getting permits are incredible now; for some countries it takes about a week, for other countries it can take half a year. Canada has suffered reputationally. When international students look around for places to study, they read [that Canada is no longer attractive]. There’s a lot of uncertainty, confusion and long wait times.

Kenton Anderson: It has affected our whole institution incalculably, especially on the university side. It has also affected the seminary significantly. We have a long history of working with international students in various parts of the world, and that line of business has essentially been shut down, for two reasons. One is the very small number of allocations granted to private institutions across the country, and secondly the whole thing has created a chill in the market, so students aren’t even considering coming to Canada anymore in the numbers they used to. This is having a major impact – it’s a problem because as a Christian school, we’re here to serve the Church and the Church has always had a global interest; that’s our calling and our mission. To have this taken from us is devastating to mission, our ability to serve the work of our churches and even our ongoing viability as schools.

Richard Topping: It has meant extra work for my staff. Now people apply, and they get accepted based on their merits. Then we have to assign these Provincial Attestation Letters (PAL) based on the criteria that the province has assigned around financial means to finish the program. We have a limited number of these letters to use. The PAL letter accompanies the application to the federal government for a study permit, and then the student may or may not get a visa.

Rod Wilson: International students bring a lot to schools, culturally and financially. If your school is getting more money from international students, or you have programs geared specifically to them, you’re going to be hit pretty hard.

This whole tension worldwide about whether we should be local or global is really coming into focus right now. Theological schools are saying, “What are the international needs? The global needs? But also, what are the local needs? What’s happening in our city?” Caps on international students are forcing us to ask those questions again. Schools that are thinking missionally, and are thinking about what their vision is for theological education may see this as a time that is redemptive and impactful for Canadian students.

People are not traveling unless they need to. Our administration is continuing to plan to attend conferences there, but I can’t say I’m comfortable.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) issued an advisory strongly recommending that academic staff travel to the U.S. “only if essential and necessary.” What are you hearing?

Dias: A lot of [Toronto School] colleagues have decided not to go to the U.S. Some have said, “only essential travel to the U.S.” One of the primary concerns is our international students. We don’t want to put them at any risk, where people are detained, or don’t have the right visa. I have a colleague who was detained at the border, and she owns property in the U.S. I’ve cancelled my travel to the U.S. We might focus more on Europe [for academic conferences]. I will be surveying faculty about whether certain [joint Canada/U.S.] research projects have been affected. Funding can be cut for anything DEI-focused for example.

Anderson: Everybody is nervous and concerned. People are not travelling unless they need to. Our administration [at Providence] is continuing to plan to attend conferences there, but I can’t say I’m comfortable. Across the nation the concern level could not be higher. When we engage our American colleagues and friends, there’s a sense of joking, a little bit of embarrassment. I don’t think they really appreciate how seriously this is being felt here in Canada.

Topping: There’s some caution in the air. I travel to the U.S. I try to make sure I have reliable information. When I look online and I see Canada Border Services advisories to travelers, they note there may be more rigor than usual. I have a friend or two who’ve had their cell phone looked at [at the border]. I know someone who purchased a cell phone just for their trip. But for the most part it’s business as usual. I know a few people who’ve canceled planned trips, but it’s out of an abundance of caution. At [Vancouver], we would recommend faculty not travel for work to the U.S. if there were a good reason to do so.

People in the academic world are pausing right now. Sometimes they’re fearful on minimal evidence. Most people I know are still willing to go, but they’re not sure about “the next time.”

I’ve been in the U.S. for work a couple of times in the past few months. I paused before I bought the ticket. I have noticed at customs there is more vigilance, more questions than normal. I have management consultant status in the U.S. I wonder: Will that be allowed indefinitely?

I work with a lawyer in the U.S. He told me that at the border they might want to see my actual Ph.D., not just a copy. So now I carry the framed original. On a recent trip I was asked for it.

It’s a very chaotic world we’re living in. Chaos has a natural propensity to desire control that cuts down on creativity and being nimble.

The three pillars of theological education are quality, accessibility, and affordability. Ideally, it’s a three-legged stool. I think at this moment in the world, the generation that’s coming to theological schools now is prizing, quite heavily, accessibility and affordability.

With what’s going on between the U.S. and Canada and also around the world, we’re going to have to look carefully at this equation – of quality, accessibility, and affordability – and in a fresh way.