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Canada Sees Massive Drop in New Immigrants
19 Feb
Summary
- International student arrivals fell by 61% in 2025.
- Temporary worker arrivals decreased by 47% in 2025.
- Canada aims to reduce temporary foreign population to under 5%.
In 2025, Canada observed a substantial decrease in new international students and temporary workers. The arrival numbers for international students fell by 61%, and for temporary workers, the decline was 47% over the full year.
Overall, 2025 saw 361,935 fewer new arrivals compared to the previous year. This trend aligns with Canada's strategic decision to reduce its temporary foreign population to less than 5% in the coming years.
For 2026, the Immigration Levels Plan projects 408,000 study permits, a decrease from previous targets. Changes to the International Student Program, including mandatory attestation letters and stricter financial requirements, are contributing to these shifts.
Additional policy changes implemented in late 2024 restrict post-graduation work permit eligibility and limit open work permits to spouses of master's and doctoral students.
