Canada Sees 37% Sharp Decline In International Students Amid Permit Cap, Reports
· Free Press Journal
Canada has registered a sharp fall in the number of new international students entering the country, according to the latest figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
According to statistics, in January 2026, Canada received 7,040 international students, which is a 37% decrease in comparison with the same period in the previous year. This happens against the background of the fact that Canada's immigration policies continue tightening up.
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Overall, the number of new arrivals, including students and temporary workers, fell by nearly 28 per cent year-on-year. Temporary worker arrivals also declined, though at a slower pace of around 20 per cent.
Stricter policies behind the slowdown
The decline is being linked to a series of policy changes introduced over the past year. Canada has capped the number of study permits, raised financial requirements for applicants and introduced stricter checks on admission letters to curb fraud.
The government has also revised work permit rules, including limits on low-wage hiring and tighter eligibility norms for spouses of temporary residents.
Officials have said the broader aim is to reduce pressure on housing, healthcare and other public services. Canada has set a target to keep the temporary resident population below five per cent of the country’s total population.
Permit cap to continue in 2026
IRCC has confirmed that the study permit cap will remain in place this year as well. Canada is expected to issue up to 408,000 study permits in 2026, including extensions.
From January this year, students enrolling in master’s and doctoral programmes at public institutions have been exempted from Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) and Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) requirements, although the overall cap remains unchanged.
Despite the fall in new arrivals, Canada remains a major destination for Indian students. In February 2026, there were over 4.27 lakh Indians studying in the country. However, in recent times, there have been worries about refusal of visas, increased cost of living, and other issues that affect student choice.
This changing pattern was evident in August, which is the peak time for admission of international students. Student arrivals reportedly dropped from around 79,725 in 2024 to nearly 45,010 in 2025.