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Canada Reports Major Decline in International Student Numbers
Current data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows a noticeable decline in both the number of student arrivals and the total international student population as compared to the same period last year.
In August 2025, there were 45,380 new student arrivals as compared to 79,795 new student arrivals in August 2024, thereby marking a decline of 43.1%. Similarly when comparing year on year, there have been 132,505 fewer new student arrivals between January and August 2025, as compared to the same period in 2024.
In this article, “arrivals” refers to issuance of new study or work permits.
The decrease in arrivals is in line with the Canadian Federal government policy to reduce Canada’s temporary population below 5% of the Canadian overall population.
Temporary Resident Numbers Continue to Fall in 2025
International Student Arrivals:
From January 2025 to August 2025, about 89,430 new student arrivals took place in Canada. This was 132,505 fewer new student arrivals as compared to new student arrivals from January 2024 to August 2024. In last year’s immigration levels plan the federal government announced a target of 305,900 for new international student arrivals in 2025. The number of new student arrivals is only 29.24% of the IRCC target this year. IRCC would have to issue 216,470 study permits in the remaining months of 2025 to meet the target of 305,900 for the year 2025.
New Worker Arrivals:
In August 2025, Canada recorded 16,890 new temporary foreign workers arrivals. The figure for August 2025 was lower than that for the previous month of July 2025 where the 18,450 new foreign worker arrivals were seen. Year over Year the drop is much more pronounced. From June to August 2025, the total number of new foreign workers arriving in Canada was 59,365. This marks a 35% decrease from the same period last year, during which there were 91,695 new worker arrivals.
In total:
From January to August 31, there were 243,945 student and temporary worker arrivals in Canada. This is 278,900 fewer arrivals than the same period last year. In last year’s Immigration Levels Plan, the Canadian federal government announced a target for overall temporary resident arrivals of 673,650 in 2025. The department would have to issue 429,705 new permits from September 2025 to December 2025 to meet the target set in Immigration Levels Plan last year.
Current Temporary level populations:
People who only hold study permits:
From August 2024 to August 2025 the foreign student population in Canada declined by 26%.
| Month | August 2025 | August 2024 |
| Number of Study Permit Holders | 514,540 | 651,230 |
The international student population has been on a steady decline throughout 2025, with a slight bump in August reflecting the typical seasonal influx of students for the fall term.
People who only hold a work permit:
IRCC’s latest data shows there has been a steady decline in the population of temporary workers over the last few months.
| Month | August 2025 | July 2025 | June 2025 |
| Number of Study Permit Holders | 1,489,645 | 1,494,905 | 1,504,575 |
However when compared to 2024, the total temporary foreign worker population increased by 4.37%.
| Month | August 2025 | August 2024 |
| Number of Study Permit Holders | 1,489,645 | 1,427,235 |
IRCC states that the increase is because the existing applications are being processed under rules that were in place when they were submitted. “As a result, more significant effects of the new measures [IRCC has introduced to reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada] will only start to appear a few months after they begin,” the department states. It is also stated that the increase in people who hold a work permit has increased on account of people with student permit transitioning to post graduation work permits
People who hold a study and work permit:
Finally IRCC notes that the number of dual permit holders has increased slightly from July to August but still it has seen a marked decrease from numbers in August 2024.
| Month | August 2025 | July 2025 | June 2025 |
| Number of foreign nationals in Canada with both a study and work permit | 288,885 | 286,220 | 368,815 |
This data can help us pinpoint the peak in the number of total residents in Canada which by the way can be seen in August 2024.
Scrutiny Grows Over Canada’s Temporary Resident Levels
Over the past few months the temporary resident numbers has been the topic of discussion and debate in Canadian political circles. The Conservative Party leader has called for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to be scrapped. In response the PM of Canada Mark Carney has stated that the Canadian government is thinking of changing the temporary foreign worker program. The Canadian PM added that the program “must have a focused approach that targets specific strategic sectors, and needs in specific regions.”
Even though there is much debate regarding TFWP, it is not the main driver of the temporary foreign worker population, which can be attributed to the International Mobility Program (IMP). As per the latest Immigration Levels Plan, the targets for the IMP are significantly higher than those of the TFWP.
| Temporary Resident (TR) Category | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
| Total TR Arrivals and Ranges | 673,650 (604,900 – 742,400) | 516,600 (435,250 – 597,950) | 543,600 (472,900 – 614,250) |
| Workers | 367,750 | 210,700 | 237,700 |
| Students | 305,900 | 305,900 | 305,900 |
Canada will publish its Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028 in the coming few weeks, which is expected to include targets for temporary resident admissions for 2026, and notional targets for 2027 and 2028.