Canada experienced a significant reduction in the number of study permits issued to international students in 2025, with data showing a roughly 25 per cent decline compared with the year before, according to reported government figures. The drop represents a marked shift in Canada’s approach to managing its temporary resident population and reflects broader policy priorities that are reshaping student migration trends.
New figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) show that the total number of study permits issued last year fell to approximately 383,905 from 514,915 in 2024, marking the lowest annual intake since 2018. The 2025 total was also significantly lower than the peak of 680,795 recorded in 2023, underlining how sharply the flow of international students has contracted. The statistics incorporate both new authorisations and extensions for students already in the country.
While the overall decline affected students from many countries, the reduction among Indian applicants was particularly stark. In 2025, the number of Indian students receiving study permits dropped to around 94,605 from 188,715 in 2024, representing a nearly 50 per cent decrease year-on-year. Previously, Indian nationals had accounted for a substantial share of the international student community in Canada, but the sharp downturn suggests mounting challenges and shifting preferences among prospective applicants.
Canadian authorities have framed the tightening of study permit issuances as part of a deliberate effort to bring growth in temporary residents, including students and workers, to more sustainable levels. Officials have cited concerns about housing shortages, infrastructure pressures and the integrity of the immigration system as key factors in their decision-making. Measures introduced over the past two years include tighter caps on overall international student numbers, mandatory verification of acceptance letters from institutions and heightened financial requirements for applicants.
In a statement on the figures, the IRCC noted that the cap system introduced in 2024 has helped control the rapid rise in temporary resident numbers that saw study permit holders climb above one million at the beginning of 2024. By September 2025, that total had fallen to around 725,000. However, the government asserts that further reductions will be necessary to fulfil its objective of reducing the share of temporary residents to below 5 per cent of Canada’s total population by the end of 2027.
Under Canada’s latest immigration levels plan, the total number of study permits to be issued in 2026 will be capped at 408,000, of which up to 155,000 will be allocated to new students and 253,000 to continuing students seeking extensions. This represents a decline relative to both the 2025 target of 437,000 and the 2024 ceiling of 485,000, indicating that Ottawa plans to maintain tighter control over student entries in the coming years.
The reduction in study permit issuances follows broader immigration policy adjustments that also include reductions in work permit allocations and processing changes for temporary residents. These moves, outlined in recent parliamentary plans, reflect the government’s prioritisation of managing population growth and addressing domestic economic and social concerns while also attempting to safeguard the integrity of the country’s immigration system.
Some experts and education industry observers warn that steep declines in international student numbers could have economic consequences for Canadian post-secondary institutions, which rely on tuition revenue from foreign students to support a range of academic programs and services. Meanwhile, prospective students from India and other countries are reportedly considering alternate destinations such as Europe, the United States and Asia, where visa regimes and institutional opportunities may appear more accessible.
