Canada is reducing the number of international students entering the country while increasingly prioritising university and graduate-level students, particularly those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees.
Canada is tightening its international student intake as the government moves to reduce temporary-resident numbers while continuing to attract highly skilled talent through its universities and graduate programmes.
The latest figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) show a significant decline in the number of international students entering the country, following the federal government’s introduction and subsequent tightening of limits on international student admissions.
According to the Canadian government, the country’s international student population has declined by one-third since 2024.
The decline has accelerated in 2026. Between January and June, the number of new international student arrivals was 82 per cent lower than during the same period in 2024, according to figures released by IRCC.
Despite the overall decline, the composition of Canada’s international student population is changing, with universities accounting for a growing share of new international students compared with colleges.
IRCC said new study permit holders arriving in Canada to study at universities accounted for 40 per cent of new arrivals in 2025, up from 30 per cent in 2024.
“We are taking steps to welcome fewer international students at the higher education levels,” IRCC said in a statement shared on social media.
The department said the proportion of university students is expected to continue increasing as new measures targeting graduate students take effect.
The government has also reaffirmed its commitment to attracting international talent at the master’s and doctoral levels, which it considers more closely aligned with Canada’s skills and labour-market needs.
The shift represents a significant change from the rapid expansion of Canada’s international education sector in previous years. The country has increasingly introduced measures aimed at reducing pressure on housing, public services and local communities associated with the rapid growth in temporary residents.
Canadian authorities said the country is now “charting a new course for immigration” by ensuring that the number of newcomers better reflects the capacity of communities while continuing to attract highly skilled international talent.
The government said the new approach is intended to create a more sustainable international student system while giving greater priority to students whose education and skills can contribute to Canada’s long-term economic and labour-market needs.
For prospective international students, the changing policy landscape means that access to Canada is becoming increasingly selective, with graduate-level applicants potentially benefiting from the government’s stronger focus on university education, advanced skills and highly qualified talent.
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