International student arrivals in Canada plummet by 74% in past two years
The federal government’s push to bring Canada’s temporary resident population back toĀ “sustainable levels” has resulted in a massive decrease in international student arrivals.
On Tuesday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released the latest data on new international student numbers in the country based on statistics up to Jan. 31, 2026.
According to the agency, about 7,040 international students arrived in January 2026. That’s a 37 per cent drop from January 2025, when new international student arrivals were at 11,215.
The decline is even more drastic compared to data from approximately two years ago. In January 2024, Canada let in 27,565 international students, which means the country has experienced a 74 per cent drop since then.
New student arrivals to Canada from December 2023 to December 2025 (IRCC)
“Canada is regaining control of its immigration system to restore balance and sustainability, while continuing to uphold its humanitarian commitments,” stated the IRCC.
This cutback is part of the government’s immigration levels plan that includes “reducing the number of students and temporary workers coming to Canada to help ease pressures on housing, infrastructure, and services.” It aims to reduce the temporary population to less than five per cent of Canada’s population by the end of 2027.
It’s only going to get more challenging for international students to get visas to study in Canada. Last November, Ottawa revealed that one way to reach this goal is to dramatically cut the number of international student permits in half.
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In 2024, the government had planned to issue 305,900 student permits in 2026 and another 305,900 in 2027. However, projected numbers will see those drop by more than half, with the government planning to reduce the number of new student permits issued to 155,000 in 2026 and 150,000 in 2027. It also plans to issue only 150,000 study permits in 2028.
Ottawa revealed how international student permits will be allocated under the new cap in December. Last year, Daily Hive covered which provinces will accept the most international studentsĀ in 2026.
The IRCC said that other measures that have contributed to this drop include making acceptance letter review mandatory to prevent study permit fraud and raising financial requirements.
It does note that there are seasonal changes in the data for study permits, with increases in December and August each year because most study permits are issued before the start of the fall and winter semesters.