Fewer international students and temporary workers arrived in Canada, indicating a steep decline in the number of new arrivals for the full year 2025. The number of foreign students arriving in Canada for the full year 2025 fell by 61%, while the number of new temporary workers fell by 47%. 177,595 fewer new students and 184,340 fewer new temporary workers arrived in 2025.
Latest official data shows that between January and December 2025, Canada experienced a 53% decrease in new arrivals of students and temporary workers, amounting to 361,935 fewer individuals compared to the same period in the previous year.
Canada has taken a conscious decision to reduce its temporary foreign population in the years ahead to less than 5%. In 2026, IRCC expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits, including 155,000 to newly arriving international students, as outlined in the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, and 253,000 extensions for current and returning students. This number is 7% lower than the 2025 issuance target of 437,000 and 16% lower than the 2024 issuance target of 485,000.
Overall dip in the issuance of study permits can be seen, with big increases in December and August each year as most study permits are issued before the start of the fall and winter semesters.
However, new student arrivals to Canada were 9,665 in December 2025, compared to 29,835 in December 2024, a fall of nearly 70%.
Canada capped international student numbers by introducing an annual cap on international student study permits in 2024. Further reductions were announced in 2025 which continues in 2026.
One of the other reasons for the big fall in numbers could be the tightening of the study permit allocation process, now requiring an attestation letter from a province or territory for every application to IRCC. Canada strengthened the International Student Program by making acceptance letter review mandatory to prevent study permit fraud and raising financial requirements to better prepare students.
Starting September 1, 2024, international students pursuing a curriculum licensing arrangement are not allowed to qualify for a post-graduation work permit. Additionally, open work permits are restricted to spouses of international students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs, excluding those in undergraduate and college programs.
The cost-of-living requirement for study permit applicants has also been modified. A single applicant will need to show they have $20,635, representing 75% of the low-income cut-off (LICO) limit, in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costs.