Number of International Students Decline by 60 Percent in Canada, Check Details Here

According to recent media reports, new federal data has noted a sharp decline in the number of international students in Canada. This is the second time in a row that the numbers have shown a decline. Stakeholders warn of programme closures and layoffs across institutions in Canada owing to the reduced number of students. 

Along with the 61% fall in new student arrivals, the new IRCC (Imigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada) data also reveals a 30% decreas in total study permit holders (including the work permit holders), falling from 995,000 to 690,000 students from December 2023-25. 

As per reports, the annual spikes in December and August also reflect seasonal peaks in the issuance of study permits before the start of the winter ans fall semesters. Policy changes have plagued the Canadian sector this time, with federal study permit caps announced in January 2024, further reduced in 2025 and 2026. 

The problem has been worsened due to visa processing delays and decreasing approval rates, with sector leaders highlighting the immediate sector harm and long-term consequences for Canadian labour markets. 

Reports suggest that institutions are continuing to face significant budget pressures and waves of programme closure and layoffs. Entire campuses or institutions have shut down in extreme cases, including the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) – the first public post-secondary institution to close after a 55% international enrolment decline this year. 

The loss of international talent has caused a decrease in the capability of institutions to offer programming to domestic students and will have significant consequences for the regional and national labour market in Canada.

Provincial governments have started focusing on the issue in recent months, with British Columbia launching a public review into the long-term sustainability of its post-secondary-system and Ontario recently investing $6.4 bn in the sector.

International education remains largely at the mercy of Canadian domestic politics, and with rising anti-immigration sentiments across several leading study destinations, the government has views to return immigration to sustainable levels, aiming at reducing Canada's temporary residents to less than 5% of the total population. The recent decline in international students was a clear sign that the measures in place are working, reflecting its commitment to a well-managed and sustainable immigration system.

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