IRCC: The number of students and workers coming to Canada has fallen sharply – a decrease of 214,520 in the first six months of 2025.
Invitation to attend a Coffee Talk on Canadian Immigration with Dr. Phan Thanh, Lawyer.
Ottawa, September 6, 2025 – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released the latest data showing a significant decrease in the number of new international students and temporary workers arriving in Canada. This is a result of new immigration management measures being implemented, aimed at creating a more sustainable and balanced immigration system that addresses the needs of the workforce, infrastructure, and social services.
1. A sharp decline in the number of new immigrants.
According to the latest IRCC report, the number of new students and temporary workers arriving in Canada between January and June 2025 decreased by 214,520 compared to the same period in 2024.
Specifically:
- The number of new international students decreased by 88,617.
- The number of new temporary workers decreased by 125,903.
This downward trend reflects IRCC's commitment to building a well-managed and sustainable immigration system.
2. Causes of the decline
IRCC has implemented a series of immigration management measures from 2024 and 2025, including:
For international students
- A limit on the number of study permits will be imposed starting in 2024, with a further 10% reduction in 2025.
- Strengthen the verification of school acceptance letters to prevent application fraud.
- Increased financial documentation requirements are needed to ensure students can afford tuition and living expenses.
- Ending the Student Direct Stream program aims to tighten the study permit issuance process.
For temporary workers
From September 26, 2024:
- Apply a maximum limit of 10% for low-wage workers at each workplace (20% for industries with labor shortages).
- Applications will be rejected in urban areas with an unemployment rate of ≥ 6%.
From November 8, 2024:
- Increase the minimum wage requirement for highly skilled workers.
- Expand the scope of restrictive regulations.
- Tighten the conditions of the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program to better match domestic labor needs.
- Restrict the issuance of work permits to spouses of international students and temporary workers.
3. Number currently available in Canada (as of June 30, 2025)
According to IRCC, as of the end of June 2025:
- 546,562 people have only study permits.
- 1,504,573 people have only work permits.
- 312,010 people have both study and work permits.
These figures reflect efforts to regulate migration flows in order to reduce pressure on housing, infrastructure, and social services.
4. Converting from temporary residence to permanent residence.
A key part of Canada's immigration strategy is prioritizing permanent residency for those who have studied and worked in Canada:
In the first six months of 2025, more than 100,000 temporary residents became permanent residents, accounting for approximately 50% of the total number of new permanent immigrants.
They are primarily admitted through economic programs such as:
- Express Entry
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
This shift helps retain talent and reduces the pressure to recruit from outside.
5. IRCC's Commitment
IRCC affirmed that it will continue to closely monitor immigration flows to ensure Canada maintains a sustainable, transparent, and effectively managed immigration system.
The main goal is to reduce the proportion of the temporary population to below 5% in the coming years, while still attracting the talent needed for the economy.
4. Trends and predictions for KeyApply
Based on current data and policies, KeyApply predicts:
- Competition for studying abroad and employment will continue to increase at least until the end of 2026.
Although the Canadian government is pushing for permanent residency (PR) for international students and workers already in Canada, this means that competition domestically will be more intense. Applicants will have to compete fiercely based on their educational qualifications, work experience, language skills, and ability to meet immigration requirements. - Finding a job that meets the requirements for permanent residency will become more difficult. The increasing number of applicants coupled with a limited job market means that positions qualifying for permanent residency will become increasingly hard to find, especially in major cities.
- IRCC will continue to reduce the number of study and work permits issued to achieve its goal of reducing the temporary population ratio to below 5%. This means fewer and fewer new applications will be approved.
- Weak or incomplete applications are more likely to be rejected than before. IRCC will scrutinize requirements regarding school, field of study, finances, language, and work experience more closely, demanding that applicants prepare thoroughly and have a clear strategy.
- Applicants should look for alternative paths, prioritizing industries with labor shortages or immigration programs based on investment and entrepreneurship (Start-Up Visa).
Invitation to attend a Coffee Talk on Canadian Immigration with Dr. Phan Thanh, Lawyer.
