Fresh statistics released by IRCC and analysed by The Times of India on 18 February 2026 indicate that only 115,470 new international students entered Canada in 2025—down from 293,060 in 2024, a steep 60.6 % decline. Monthly arrivals fell below 10,000 for several winter and spring periods after Ottawa raised financial-proof thresholds, restricted postgraduate work-permit eligibility and asked provinces to cap college-level intakes.
The numbers validate the federal government’s strategy to bring temporary residents below 5 % of Canada’s population in order to ease pressure on housing and health services. Universities and polytechnics, however, warn of revenue shortfalls exceeding CA $4 billion and cite knock-on effects for campus employment and research capacity.
![IRCC data show 61 % plunge in new international-student arrivals after policy clampdown]()
Prospective students navigating these stricter entry requirements can streamline their applications by turning to VisaHQ. Through its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the service provides up-to-date checklists, guidance on the latest financial-proof thresholds and personalised document reviews, helping applicants avoid common mistakes that lead to refusals.
For employers, the contraction erodes a pipeline that has supplied nearly one-third of Express Entry permanent-residence approvals in recent years. Sectors such as information technology and healthcare—which rely on graduates transitioning to work permits—may face tighter labour markets by 2027.
Education consultants advise institutions to pivot toward higher-margin graduate programmes and diversify recruitment to higher-income markets less sensitive to financial-proof hikes. Students already in Canada should monitor forthcoming changes to work-permit rules, expected before the fall semester.
The numbers validate the federal government’s strategy to bring temporary residents below 5 % of Canada’s population in order to ease pressure on housing and health services. Universities and polytechnics, however, warn of revenue shortfalls exceeding CA $4 billion and cite knock-on effects for campus employment and research capacity.
Prospective students navigating these stricter entry requirements can streamline their applications by turning to VisaHQ. Through its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the service provides up-to-date checklists, guidance on the latest financial-proof thresholds and personalised document reviews, helping applicants avoid common mistakes that lead to refusals.
For employers, the contraction erodes a pipeline that has supplied nearly one-third of Express Entry permanent-residence approvals in recent years. Sectors such as information technology and healthcare—which rely on graduates transitioning to work permits—may face tighter labour markets by 2027.
Education consultants advise institutions to pivot toward higher-margin graduate programmes and diversify recruitment to higher-income markets less sensitive to financial-proof hikes. Students already in Canada should monitor forthcoming changes to work-permit rules, expected before the fall semester.
