The number of international students entering Canada has reduced by 60 per cent between January and October 2025, when compared to the same period in 2024.
The data revealed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that the number of international students is down 153,820. This has been possible due to a continued effort by the Canadian government to reduce the number of international students and temporary workers in the Canada. "We’re reducing the number of international students coming to Canada to a sustainable level," IRCC stated. Also Read | Study Abroad 2025: Most Popular Countries Among Indian Students and Surprising New Choices As per the data made available by the Canadian government, the number of permit holders fell from 11,360 in September 2025 to 3,030 in October 2025.
| Month | Number of Permit Holders |
|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 95,330 |
| Jan-24 | 27,570 |
| Feb-24 | 9,245 |
| Mar-24 | 16,870 |
| Apr-24 | 45,790 |
| May-24 | 14,235 |
| Jun-24 | 11,285 |
| Jul-24 | 17,120 |
| Aug-24 | 79,760 |
| Sep-24 | 28,900 |
| Oct-24 | 6,520 |
| Nov-24 | 5,985 |
| Dec-24 | 29,845 |
| Jan-25 | 11,225 |
| Feb-25 | 4,080 |
| Mar-25 | 3,810 |
| Apr-25 | 8,525 |
| May-25 | 4,540 |
| Jun-25 | 4,165 |
| Jul-25 | 7,630 |
| Aug-25 | 45,115 |
| Sep-25 | 11,360 |
| Oct-25 | 3,030 |
The number of permit holders was high in August 2025 too (45,115), but has largely remained under 10,000 through the rest of the year (barring January 2025). "You’ll notice seasonal changes in the data for study permits, with big increases in December and August each year. That’s because most study permits are issued before the start of the fall and winter semesters," IRCC explained.
Overall there were 53 per cent fewer arrivals to Canada between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 323,250.
To achieve this, the Canadian government capped international student numbers by introducing an annual cap on international student study permits in 2024, and announced further reductions in 2025 and 2026. Additionally, acceptance letter review was also made mandatory to prevent study permit fraud and raising financial requirements to better prepare students.
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The number of temporary workers in Canada also declined by 48 per cent, between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 169,435. This was a result of the Canadian government putting a 10 per cent limit on low-wage hiring (20 per cent in certain in-demand sectors), and also stopping processing low-wage applications in census metropolitan areas with at least 6 per cent unemployment. The government also reformed the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP) by tightening eligibility requirements for the PGWP to better align the programme with immigration goals and labour market needs. Work permits for spouses of temporary residents were also limited by tightening work permit eligibility for spouses of international students and temporary foreign workers.
As a result of these measures, as of October 31, 2025, only 484,090 hold a study permit, and 1,492,245 people only hold a work permit, and 255,275 hold both a work and study permit
Additionally, the 2026 - 2028 Immigration Levels Plan further reduces arrival targets for new temporary residents. Under this plan, permanent economic immigration will account for 64 per cent of all immigration in 2027 and 2028, the highest proportion in decades. For this, the new student arrivals is being capped at 155,000, which is 49 per cent fewer than last year's target.
