Canada is fundamentally reshaping its approach to temporary residents—especially international students and foreign workers—to reduce pressure on housing, infrastructure, and public services. Under the Immigration Levels Plan, the federal government has committed to bringing the total temporary resident population down to below 5% of Canada’s population over the next few years.
- 01Why Canada is reducing student and temporary worker numbers
- 02New arrivals: how much have student and worker numbers dropped?
- 03Headline arrival trends
- 04International students in Canada: caps, stricter rules, and lower volumes
- 05Seasonal patterns still exist, but at lower levels
- 06What IRCC has changed for international students
- 07Temporary foreign workers and IMP participants: tightening labour inflows
- 08Policy changes affecting temporary workers
- 09Total number of temporary students and workers currently in Canada
- 10Key statistics snapshot (SEO table)
- 11What this means for students, workers, and employers
- 12For prospective international students
- 13For temporary foreign workers and IMP participants
- 14For employers and institutions
- 15Long-term direction: from temporary to permanent, but at “sustainable” levels
This shift is already visible in the latest data: between January and November 2025, Canada recorded 52% fewer combined arrivals of new international students and temporary workers compared with the same period in 2024, a drop of 334,845 people. International student arrivals fell even more sharply—down 60% over that period—while new temporary worker arrivals declined by 47%.
For prospective students, workers, employers, and immigration professionals, understanding these numbers is now essential for planning study, work, and long‑term immigration strategies in Canada.
Why Canada is reducing student and temporary worker numbers
The federal government frames these changes as part of a broader push to stabilize population growth and protect affordability in Canadian communities. Key policy goals include:
- Easing pressure on housing markets, where rapid inflows of temporary residents were contributing to rental demand in major cities.
- Protecting infrastructure and essential services such as health care, transit, and education from unsustainable growth.
- Refocusing labour market strategies on those already in Canada, including permanent residents and existing temporary workers, rather than continuously expanding new inflows.
- Aligning immigration more closely with long‑term economic and regional priorities, rather than leaving volumes to be driven largely by institutional or employer demand.
At the political level, IRCC has set an explicit benchmark: temporary residents (including international students and temporary foreign workers) should represent less than 5% of Canada’s total population once the new measures fully take effect.
New arrivals: how much have student and worker numbers dropped?
IRCC’s latest official data, updated to November 30, 2025, shows a clear and sustained decline in new study and work permit arrivals. These figures are based on the number of people issued a study or work permit in a given month, excluding extensions, asylum claimants, seasonal agricultural workers, and very short-term temporary foreign workers whose jobs begin and end within 270 days in the same year.
Headline arrival trends
- 52% fewer total arrivals of new students and workers between January and November 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 (a reduction of 334,845 people).
- 60% fewer new international students over that period, representing 157,380 fewer student arrivals.
- 47% fewer new temporary workers over that period, equal to 177,465 fewer work permit arrivals.
In November 2025 alone, Canada issued:
These monthly volumes are dramatically lower than recent historical norms and underline how quickly the policy shift has taken hold.
International students in Canada: caps, stricter rules, and lower volumes
IRCC is deliberately bringing international student numbers down to what it describes as a “sustainable level.” The official data and policy announcements highlight three main levers: capping study permits, strengthening program integrity, and tightening financial requirements.
Seasonal patterns still exist, but at lower levels
Student arrivals still show strong seasonality, with spikes in August and December ahead of the fall and winter academic intakes. For example, August and December have historically seen the highest counts of new study permits, as students prepare for the start of the academic year. However, even these peak months now reflect lower overall volumes than previous years as the cap and stricter eligibility rules take effect.
What IRCC has changed for international students
IRCC lists several concrete measures affecting international students:
- Annual cap on new study permits
- Mandatory verification of letters of acceptance (LOAs)
- Higher financial requirements
- Planned reductions for 2026–2028
For colleges and universities, this means fewer available study permit approvals and more scrutiny of programs that do not clearly align with labour market needs. For prospective students, it translates into a more competitive environment and a greater need to present strong financial and academic profiles.
Temporary foreign workers and IMP participants: tightening labour inflows
Canada is applying a similar “sustainability” lens to temporary workers, particularly in lower‑wage occupations and in regions with higher unemployment. The official data distinguishes between workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and those under the International Mobility Program (IMP).
Policy changes affecting temporary workers
IRCC and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) outline several major changes:
- Low-wage hiring caps for TFWP employers
- Higher wage thresholds for “high‑wage” roles
- Reform of the Post‑Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP)
- Limits on spousal open work permits
- Open work permit eligibility has been narrowed for spouses of international students and temporary foreign workers.
- For students, spousal work permits are now largely confined to spouses of those in longer master’s or doctoral programs or certain professional programs, rather than most college or short‑cycle programs.
- Planned reductions in worker arrivals for 2026–2028
In practice, this means employers must increasingly prioritize recruitment from within Canada—permanent residents, citizens, and already‑present temporary workers—before relying on new TFWP or IMP hires.
Total number of temporary students and workers currently in Canada
While new arrivals are falling sharply, the stock of people already in Canada on study or work permits is adjusting more gradually. IRCC notes that application inventories submitted under previous rules are still being processed, so the full impact of new policies will take time to show in the total population figures.
As of November 30, 2025, IRCC reports:
- 476,330 people hold only a study permit (no concurrent work permit).
- 1,491,500 people hold only a work permit.
- 244,900 people hold both a work and a study permit.
These categories explicitly exclude asylum claimants and protected persons, even if they also hold study or work permits. IRCC confirms that it is possible to hold both a work and study permit at the same time—for example, international students who need a separate work permit for co‑op placements.
Over 177,000 former temporary residents became permanent residents between January and November 2025, representing about 48% of all new permanent residents during that period. Many of these individuals transitioned through economic pathways such as Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program, often after obtaining Canadian work experience or education.
Key statistics snapshot (SEO table)
Current numbers and trends for international students and temporary workers in Canada
What this means for students, workers, and employers
These policy shifts have practical consequences across the immigration landscape in Canada.
For prospective international students
- Expect tighter competition for study permits due to the national cap and provincial allocations.
- Strong financial documentation and enrolment in high‑quality, labour‑market‑aligned programs will matter more than ever.
- PGWP‑linked pathways are still available but more selective, making program choice and long‑term planning crucial.
For temporary foreign workers and IMP participants
- New TFWP positions, especially in low‑wage roles and high‑unemployment regions, are harder to obtain.
- Candidates already in Canada may have an advantage as IRCC encourages employers to hire those who are already present.
- Certain high‑skilled or priority sectors may still see more stable access to work permits under the IMP or targeted streams.
For employers and institutions
- Employers must adjust recruitment strategies, placing greater emphasis on domestic and in‑Canada talent pools.
- Post‑secondary institutions, particularly those with a heavy dependence on international student tuition, will be pushed to adapt their intake models and program offerings.
- Transparency and compliance—around LOAs, student support, and wages—are under closer scrutiny from federal authorities.
Long-term direction: from temporary to permanent, but at “sustainable” levels
IRCC’s own page emphasizes that the goal is not to shut the door on newcomers, but to tilt the system toward sustainability and better integration. A higher share of permanent residents are now being selected from people who initially came as temporary residents and then studied, worked, and integrated into Canadian society.
By making fewer—but more carefully selected—temporary admissions while enabling many of those already in Canada to become permanent residents, the government aims to:
- Support long‑term economic growth with better‑matched skills.
- Ease pressure on housing, infrastructure, and local services.
- Maintain Canada’s appeal to “the best and brightest” globally, while ensuring manageable population growth.
For anyone planning to study, work, or settle in Canada in the coming years, staying on top of this data and the evolving Immigration Levels Plan will be essential for informed decision‑making.
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