Canada will slash international student permits in half
International students are facing uncertainty after Canada announced plans to dramatically cut the number of student permits by half.
It will be increasingly harder for international students to get visas to study in Canada, according to the recent report that outlines the country’s new immigration plan.
Last year, the government had planned to issue 305,900 student permits in 2026 and 305,900 in 2027. However, projected numbers will see those drop by more than half, with the government planning to reduce the number of 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.
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Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne delivered the federal budget on Tuesday, Nov. 4, announcing the government’s plan to bring Canada’s immigration levels down to “sustainable levels.”
“We are taking back control over immigration in Canada and putting Canada back on a trajectory to bring immigration back to sustainable levels, allowing us to fulfil the promise of Canada to those who call it home,” said François-Philippe Champagne.
“Our plan will restore control, will provide clarity and consistency to the immigration system, while maintaining compassion in our choices and driving competitiveness in our economy.”
For the past two years, Canada has been introducing several restrictive changes to its international student program.
Starting Sept. 1, 2025, international students were required to show proof of $22,895 in annual living expenses (not including tuition and transportation costs), a number that’s up from the previous fund requirement of $20,635.
In June, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that students in non-degree programs across 178 fields of study would no longer be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). However, IRCC quickly reversed course the following month, stating that it’s delaying changes until next year.
From January to June this year, Canada issued just 36,417 student permits. That’s a sharp drop from 125,034 permits issued during the same period in 2024, marking a 70 per cent decline.
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Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Lena Metlege Diab said Canada will balance the number of new arrivals with the planned departure of international students and temporary workers as their status expires in 2025 and 2026.
“We have committed to reduce temporary resident volumes through departures, program limits, and lower immigration levels to less than five per cent of the population by the end of 2027,” she stated.
“As we bring our temporary resident population to sustainable levels, we will continue to work with provinces and territories to prioritize people seeking to study and work in fields that will support Canada’s workforce needs in communities across the country, including in rural areas.”