Number Of Foreign Students In Canada Has Declined
61 Percent, These Rules Have Had An Impact On Indian Students
The number of international students in Canada has declined significantly. The government’s measures to reduce the number of temporary residents (including students) and ease pressure on housing, infrastructure, and public services are now clearly showing results. Recent data shows that the number of new study permits issued has decreased by approximately 61 percent. According to the latest data from Immigration, Reusables and Citizenship Canada, while 293,060 new international students arrived in 2024, this number will drop to 115,470 in 2025.
How much has the number increased?: In December 2024, 29,835 new students arrived, while in December 2025, this number dropped to just 9,665. August and December typically see the highest number of study permits issued, as the fall and winter semesters begin during these months.
Monthly figures have also seen a decline. For example, 45,790 new permits were issued in April 2024, which dropped to 8,525 in April 2025. 79,740 permits were issued in August 2024, while the number dropped to 45,035 in August 2025.
Canadian Government Sets Cap : The Canadian government set an annual cap on international students in 2024. Subsequently, targets were also reduced for 2025 and 2026. The 2025-2027 plan announced last year had set a target of 305,000 students for 2026. Now, in the new 2026-2028 immigration plan, this has been reduced to 155,000, with further reductions expected over the next two years.
Regulated Canadian immigration consultant Matthew MacDonald said the 50 percent reduction in the 2026 target is significant. This will force colleges and universities to offer fewer admissions, increasing pressure on Canada’s education sector. The government says it wants to bring immigration to a sustainable level and keep the number of temporary residents below 5 percent of the total population.
