Canada admitted 177,595 fewer international students in 2025 than in the previous year, a 61 per cent decrease, as the government attempts to rein in rapid growth in the sector and refocus recruitment efforts on attracting highly qualified graduate students, according to data released Monday by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The dramatic decline in student numbers comes after the federal government introduced a cap on international student permits in January 2024, initially aimed at targeting private colleges and universities that had been charging high tuition fees for programs of questionable value. Yet, the policy appears to have had a broader chilling effect, impacting even institutions with strong reputations.
In response to the drop in applications, IRCC has launched a social media campaign aimed at attracting master’s and doctoral students, highlighting streamlined application processes and the possibility of family members accompanying students to Canada. A recent post on X stated, “Canada is home to world-class institutions and offers clear pathways for international students to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees.” The post also touted faster application timelines – as little as two weeks for doctoral applicants – and the potential for post-graduation work permits.
Experts suggest the government’s approach, while intended to address concerns about program quality and housing shortages, has inadvertently damaged Canada’s reputation as a desirable destination for international students. Dan Hurley, head of public affairs for Navitas Canada, a company that partners with universities to recruit international students, said interest in studying in Canada has waned. “Canada lags behind key competitors such as Australia and the U.K., and more international students are demonstrating interest in emerging study destinations such as Germany, The Netherlands, UAE and Singapore,” Hurley said in an email.
Steve Orsini, president and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities, described the federal government’s initial response as a “blunt approach” that affected both undergraduate and graduate enrollment. “It was across the board, and they discouraged students that were going into low-demand programs… but they also impacted high-demand programs that the industry was desperately in require of,” he said. He noted a more recent shift in government policy towards prioritizing recruitment of advanced degree candidates and streamlining their application processes.
Data from the Council of Ontario Universities show a 5-per-cent decrease in graduate student numbers between the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years, though the decline in undergraduate numbers was significantly steeper.
In November 2025, the government announced plans to reduce the overall number of international students it intends to admit by half, while simultaneously allocating $1.7 billion to attract leading international researchers. The IRCC also began processing applications from eligible PhD students and their families within 14 days in January 2026.
The government has also exempted master’s and doctoral-level students at universities from the requirement to obtain a provincial or territorial attestation letter to secure a study permit. Michelle Coates-Mather, vice-president of public affairs at Universities Canada, expressed hope that these measures would assist restore confidence in Canada as a preferred study destination for top global talent.
IRCC spokesperson Isabelle Dubois reiterated the government’s aims, stating that the recruitment of graduate-level students is “an important focus of our social media strategy.” She added, “As study permit volumes decrease, IRCC has shifted its focus on attracting higher quality students to Canada… they integrate well into the labour market and are more likely to work in their field of study.”
