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Canada’s Population Falls 0.2% in Q3 as Temporary Residents Plunge

Ottawa’s tighter rules on study and work permits triggered record departures toward a 2027 goal to reduce the temporary‑resident share to 5%.

Overview

  • Preliminary estimates show a Q3 population drop of 76,068 (−0.2%) to 41,575,585, the steepest quarterly decline in decades of Statistics Canada data.
  • Non‑permanent residents fell by 176,479 as record outflows of 339,505 exceeded inflows of 163,026.
  • Study permit holders declined by about 73,682, with the sharpest reductions in Ontario and British Columbia.
  • Every province and territory shrank except Alberta and Nunavut, both up 0.2%, while asylum‑related populations rose by 7,324 to a record 504,767.
  • Permanent admissions remained steady at 102,867 in Q3, partly offsetting losses, and the temporary‑resident share eased to 6.8% from 7.3%.