Canada slashes international student permits by 35% this year, further 10% reduction in 2025 to combat system abuse

Ottawa: The Canadian government is taking steps to address labor shortages and support economic recovery by refining its immigration system.

Earlier this year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a reduction in the number of temporary residents, aiming to decrease from 6.5% to 5% of the total population by 2026.

To achieve this, IRCC is reforming programs like the International Student Program, tightening eligibility for temporary foreign workers, and enhancing employer compliance. Minister of Immigration Marc Miller announced further reductions in study permits for international students, targeting 437,000 permits in 2025—a 10% decrease from the 2024 target.

Other changes include updates to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program and stricter work permit eligibility for spouses of students and foreign workers. Measures to strengthen the asylum system include implementing partial visa requirements for certain nationals and improving fraud detection processes.

“We are taking action to strengthen our temporary residence programs and roll out a more comprehensive immigration plan'” Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Quick Facts:

Reduction of temporary residents to be reflected in the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan.

New language proficiency requirements for post-graduation work permits starting November 1, 2024.

Budget 2024 proposes $743.5 million over five years to support Canada’s asylum system.