Canada has witnessed a sharp decline in study permits issued to international students, with Indian applicants seeing the steepest fall. Official data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that permits granted to Indian students in 2025 nearly halved compared to 2024.
Overall Study Permits Down 25% in 2025
According to IRCC’s annual figures, total study permits issued dropped from 514,915 in 2024 to 383,905 in 2025, marking a 25% decrease. The figure had already declined from a record 680,795 permits in 2023.
The 2025 intake represents the lowest level since 2018, excluding the pandemic-hit year of 2020, when global travel restrictions caused numbers to fall sharply.
Indian Students Most Affected
The decline was more pronounced among Indian students. Study permits issued to Indian nationals fell from 188,715 in 2024 to 94,605 in 2025, a reduction of nearly 50%. In 2023, the number stood at 277,965.
IRCC noted that new student arrivals in 2025 dropped significantly as part of efforts to bring international student numbers to a “sustainable level.” The total study permit figures include both new arrivals and extensions for students already in Canada.
Policy Shift to Reduce Temporary Population
The Canadian government has introduced a series of measures aimed at reducing the share of temporary residents to below 5% of the total population by the end of 2027.
Speaking in Toronto last week, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said that when she was appointed by Prime Minister Mark Carney last spring, restoring balance and confidence in the immigration system was a key priority.
Key Measures Introduced:
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Cap on international student permits
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Mandatory verification of acceptance letters to curb fraud
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Increased financial requirements for applicants
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Stricter oversight of educational institutions
These policies were introduced amid concerns that a surge in temporary residents was contributing to housing shortages and increased pressure on public services.
2026 Cap Set at 408,000 Permits
Under Canada’s updated immigration levels plan announced in November:
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Total study permits for 2026 will be capped at 408,000
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155,000 for new international students
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253,000 extensions for current or returning students
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This is:
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7% lower than the 2025 issuance target of 437,000
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16% lower than the 2024 target of 485,000
The government has further reduced its annual new international student intake target from 305,000 under the previous plan to 155,000 for 2026, with projections of 150,000 in both 2027 and 2028.
IRCC stated that the cap, first introduced in 2024, has already reduced the number of study permit holders from over one million in January 2024 to approximately 725,000 by September 2025.
Broader Immigration Cuts
Earlier this month, the government tabled an immigration levels plan in Parliament that proposes a nearly 43% reduction in temporary resident intake, including international students and workers.
The policy shift signals a significant recalibration of Canada’s immigration strategy, particularly impacting Indian students, who have historically formed one of the largest international student cohorts in the country.
