Overview

• Canada will issue 437,000 study permits in 2025, down from 485,000 in 2024 and 509,390 in 2023.
• New rules will limit work permit eligibility for spouses of master's degree students and temporary foreign workers in specific sectors.
• The measures are part of a broader effort to reduce temporary residents to 5% of the total population by 2026, down from 6.8% in April 2024.
• The government aims to address housing shortages and rising costs of living, which have been partially blamed on the influx of temporary residents.
• Universities and colleges express concerns about financial impacts and recruitment challenges due to reduced international student numbers.