According to the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada aims to reduce the overall number of temporary residents, including international students, to below 5% of the total population by the end of 2027.
This includes:
- A lower cap for new study permits beginning in 2025–2026
- A focus on high-quality institutions and high-value academic fields
- More screening for program legitimacy and provincial capacity
Government forecasts and independent analyses suggest that new international student intake in 2026 may be as much as 40–50% lower than in previous years.
This does not mean Canada is closing its doors—it means Canada is choosing more carefully who gets the opportunity
