Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) newly released annual statistics reveal that Canada approved 383,905 study permits in 2025—down from 514,915 in 2024 and a record 680,795 in 2023. The figures, analysed in a 22 February 2026 Hindustan Times report, confirm a 25 percent year-on-year decline, with approvals for Indian nationals plunging by almost 50 percent.
The drop follows Ottawa’s aggressive efforts to reduce Canada’s overall temporary-resident population to below five percent by 2027. Measures introduced last autumn included higher financial-proof thresholds, provincial caps on letters of acceptance and closer scrutiny of private career colleges. Together, they have cooled what many saw as an overheated international-student market that was straining housing and health-care systems.
![IRCC data show study-permit approvals fell 25 % in 2025; Indian numbers halved]()
While fewer permits ease pressure on services, they also shrink a vital talent pipeline for employers who rely on the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) to recruit entry-level workers and future permanent residents. Sectors such as hospitality and early-childhood education—traditionally staffed by former international students—could feel the pinch by summer.
Companies and applicants trying to navigate these new realities can turn to VisaHQ for practical support. The platform’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers step-by-step checklists, fee calculators and concierge assistance for study permits, work permits and other visa categories, helping to minimise errors and keep applications moving smoothly even as rules tighten.
Global mobility teams should prepare for smaller student talent pools and longer lead times when hiring recent graduates. Companies may need to pivot to other streams—such as the Global Skills Strategy or provincial nominee programs—to secure junior talent, particularly from India, which has been Canada’s largest source market for students for more than a decade.
The drop follows Ottawa’s aggressive efforts to reduce Canada’s overall temporary-resident population to below five percent by 2027. Measures introduced last autumn included higher financial-proof thresholds, provincial caps on letters of acceptance and closer scrutiny of private career colleges. Together, they have cooled what many saw as an overheated international-student market that was straining housing and health-care systems.
While fewer permits ease pressure on services, they also shrink a vital talent pipeline for employers who rely on the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) to recruit entry-level workers and future permanent residents. Sectors such as hospitality and early-childhood education—traditionally staffed by former international students—could feel the pinch by summer.
Companies and applicants trying to navigate these new realities can turn to VisaHQ for practical support. The platform’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers step-by-step checklists, fee calculators and concierge assistance for study permits, work permits and other visa categories, helping to minimise errors and keep applications moving smoothly even as rules tighten.
Global mobility teams should prepare for smaller student talent pools and longer lead times when hiring recent graduates. Companies may need to pivot to other streams—such as the Global Skills Strategy or provincial nominee programs—to secure junior talent, particularly from India, which has been Canada’s largest source market for students for more than a decade.
