Fewer international students and temporary workers are arriving in Canada. The number of new students and workers who arrived in Canada till November last year has shown a steep decline. The number of foreign students arriving in Canada so far has fallen by 60%, while the number of new temporary workers has fallen by 47%.

If the 60% reduction continues, overall international student arrivals in 2025 are estimated to be around 1,17,806, compared to 2,93,100 in 2024. In December 2024, Canada received 29,840 students. The December 2025 numbers will likely reflect the arrival of around 12,000 students.

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.

Latest official data shows that between January and November 2025, Canada experienced a 52% decrease in new arrivals of students and temporary workers, amounting to 334,845 fewer individuals compared to the same period in the previous year.

As far as the foreign students are concerned, with 157,380 fewer new students, the number decreased by 60%. As far as the new temporary workers are concerned, there were 177,465 fewer workers, representing a 47% decrease.

In November 2025, new student arrivals to Canada were 2,485, compared to 5,985 in September 2024, a fall of 58%.

As of November 30, 2025, in Canada, 476,330 students hold a study permit, while 1,491,500 only hold a work permit and 244,900 hold both a work and study permit.

Between January and November 2024, Canada received 2,63,260 students, compared to only 1,05,870 in the same period in 2025, resulting in a shortfall of 1,57,390 students. This is a nearly 60% decline in the number of international students arriving in Canada so far this year.

One of the 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.

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.