Canada has witnessed a 60 per cent drop in international student arrivals, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, adding that the country has “taken back control of immigration” and is now rebuilding a more sustainable immigration system.
And international student arrivals down by 60 percent.
According to an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) report, international student arrivals between January and October 2025 fell by nearly 60 per cent compared with the same period in 2024.
The report shows that international student arrivals declined every month in 2025 compared with the corresponding month a year earlier.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADThe slowdown follows policy changes introduced under Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan to better manage international student inflows.
Canada has witnessed a 60 per cent drop in international student arrivals, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, adding that the country has “taken back control of immigration” and is now rebuilding a more sustainable immigration system.
“We’ve taken back control of immigration. Asylum claims are down by a third. Temporary foreign workers arrivals down by half. And international student arrivals down by 60 percent. We can now carefully rebuild a sustainable immigration system consistent with Canadian values,” Carney said.
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60% drop in international student arrivals to Canada, says PM Mark Carney
For context: Indians were 51.6% of all foreign students in 2023
They are now just 8.1% of all int'l students in Canada pic.twitter.com/zjLR2NOiMK — Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) June 26, 2026
The sharp decline follows a series of measures introduced by the Canadian government, including stricter study permit policies, higher financial requirements and tighter post-graduation work permit rules, significantly reducing the number of students heading to Canadian universities.
Canada’s reputation as one of the world’s top destinations for international students has come under pressure, with universities that once attracted large numbers of students from India, China and other countries reporting a steep fall in enrolments.
According to an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) report, international student arrivals between January and October 2025 fell by nearly 60 per cent compared with the same period in 2024. More than 1.5 lakh fewer students arrived in Canada during the period.
The report shows that international student arrivals declined every month in 2025 compared with the corresponding month a year earlier.
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The slowdown follows policy changes introduced under Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan to better manage international student inflows. The government has capped the number of new study permits issued annually, strengthened verification of university and college acceptance letters, and increased the financial proof required from applicants.
According to the Canadian government, these measures are intended to ensure students arriving in the country are better prepared for academic life and integration into Canadian society.
The new rules have made the application process more competitive, requiring students to apply earlier, demonstrate stronger financial capacity and submit complete documentation.
The IRCC report suggests the policies are designed to attract students who are genuinely prepared to study and settle in Canada. While the country remains open to international students, the pathway has become significantly more selective, prompting many prospective applicants to reconsider their study destination or prepare more thoroughly before applying.
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