f that's too many then make it two spots per country across the board. Just don't keep changing it.
Announcements with entry rules are published months in advance. I still don't see why all of the competitions need to follow the same entries rules, as long as they are clear about what the rules are.
Nebelhorn requirements have been stable for years: in non-qualifying years, they allow up to two for singles, if the member has placed a skater in the top ten at the prior year's Nebelhorn, and up to two for Pairs and Dance, both if the total field quotas aren't exceeded. That means that each member submits entries by the entry date, then the Nebelhorn organizers assess the entries and confirms those who can compete, which has not been an issue for Pairs and Dance. In qualifying years, only one entry per member is allowed in singles, and up to two in Pairs and Dance, based on the field limits.
As far as I know, they've never had more than the field size maximum worth of skaters trying to qualify for the Olympics. If they did and turned away members who were trying to qualify instead of expanding the fields, then they'd have an issue with the IOC, as the qualifier would be violating the ISU qualifying process. As far as I know, they haven't turned away single entries from members who had already qualified, to make room for nations that need to qualify. (Host spots aren't subject to these limits, but the German Fed has used host spots with discretion in the qualifier years.)
Although one year they allowed Miki Ando to compete without going through her Federation, and there was lots of
surrounding that.
Skaters look at those dates, out their preferences in for events and then things change. Last year Montreal in particular was very challenging behind the scenes with skaters being told one thing about numbers until the close of entries, then numbers changing a few days later, then adding more skaters a few days later again. This meant that some had then changed preferences or purchased different flights only for numbers to change and spots opened up.
If the Montreal organizers or any other organizers violated/violate the terms of the announcement, then that is something the ISU should be slapping them over. The answer is enforcement of the existing contract, not another rule. If the announcement is written like the Nebelhorn announcement, then skaters should take into consideration the risk and odds that they might be bumped before listing the competition as their preference.
It should be very clear when places and dates are published, how many skaters may go to each event and such last minute, after entries close type changes should be avoided.
Which has nothing to do with Nebelhorn, where the process is described clearly, and, unless someone has an example otherwise aside from Ando being added one year, has been followed.
Also, if the members aren't reading and are assigning skaters improperly, which they have been known to do too regularly -- too many Chinese Pairs at Jr. Worlds, non-senior-age-eligible skaters competing, Feds promising too many spots to skaters at Nebelhorn in qualifying years -- then that's on them, not the organizers.
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My calendar is cleared! (5 months in advance). 
