In the initial six months of this year, the number of international student permits granted to those coming to study in Canada witnessed a significant decline, with nearly 90,000 fewer permits issued compared to the same period last year. This decline follows the implementation of a cap on international student visas by the federal government in early 2024.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), between January and June 2024, a total of 125,034 international study permits were issued. However, in the corresponding period of this year, the number dropped to 36,417.
In addition to the decrease in permits issued, the number of applications for international student visas also saw a decline. The department received 302,795 applications in the first half of 2025, down from 398,675 in the same period of 2024 and 575,535 in the first half of 2023.
Laura Blondeau, a spokesperson for Immigration Minister Lena Diab, mentioned that the reduction in applications in 2025 indicates the effectiveness of the implemented measures. She emphasized the agency’s commitment to attracting top global talent to support economic growth and collaborating with various stakeholders to ensure a sustainable future for international students.
Over the past decade, amid diminishing post-secondary funding and frozen domestic tuition fees in some provinces, many Canadian educational institutions intensified their recruitment efforts abroad and became increasingly dependent on the higher tuition fees paid by international students compared to domestic students.
The federal government started imposing stricter requirements for international students in late 2023 and announced a 35% reduction in undergraduate study permits over two years in 2024. Subsequently, this reduction was increased by an additional 10% and extended to include graduate and doctoral students, who were previously exempted. The eligibility criteria for the post-graduate work permit program were also tightened during this period.
Colleges and universities across Canada have expressed concerns about the negative impacts of the visa cap on their financial stability, programs, and broader communities.