The government of Canada approved just over 75,000 new study permits for post-secondary studies in 2025.1 This was 64% below the total number of post-secondary student visa2 approvals from the year before, and the lowest total over the past decade.
Softened demand, lower approval rates, and the growth of study permit extensions all contributed to the record-low number of new study permits approved in 2025. Below, we dive into the latest international student data in Canada, and the impact of these trends on the long-term health of Canada鈥檚 education sector at large.
Key Insights at a Glance
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processed 211,000 new post-secondary study permit applications in 2025, a drop of 55% compared to 2024.
- The approval rate for new Canadian study permits for post-secondary studies was just 36% last year.
- Extensions accounted for 73% of post-secondary study permit approvals in 2025.
International Student Caps Caused Greater Decline Than COVID-19 Shutdown
As we predicted last winter, Canada鈥檚 international student caps had a larger impact on student demand in 2025 than the COVID-19 pandemic did in 2020:
The 75,000 new Canadian study permits approved for post-secondary studies in 2025 represented an 18% drop from 2020 levels, a year defined by the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. The 64% year-over-year decline in 2025 was also larger than the 57% drop in 2020.
Last year, IRCC processed 211,000 new post-secondary applications from prospective international students. Compared to 2024, demand was 55% lower year-over-year.
Only 36% of new Canadian post-secondary student visa applications were approved in 2025.
Onshore Extensions Claim Nearly Three of Every Four Approvals
When study permit extensions were included alongside new student visas in the 2025 caps, our team flagged that this addition would likely result in lower new student volumes. That鈥檚 because study permit extensions typically see approval rates well above 90%. Consequently, as more onshore students successfully extended their time in Canada, fewer spaces would remain available under the cap to welcome new applicants.
And, per full-year data, our hypothesis was correct: in 2025, onshore students composed 73% of Canadian post-secondary approvals:
At the post-secondary level, over 200,000 study permit extensions were approved in 2025, up 9% over the previous year. These onshore students accounted for nearly three of every four post-secondary approvals last year, directly inverse to the pre-cap proportions.
Because students securing study permit extensions are naturally closer to graduation, their eventual departure creates an inevitable gap on Canadian campuses. Institutions rely on a consistent flow of new applicants to replace these graduating cohorts and maintain a stable educational environment.
Without that balanced flow of incoming students, total international student populations across Canada face a projected contraction in the coming years. Beyond compounding the financial realities which many academic institutions already navigate, this lower-volume environment will pose a broader economic risk as it will coincide with more of Canada鈥檚 aging domestic workforce entering retirement.
Leveraging Data-Driven Insights as a Path Forward
Navigating this looming demographic cliff requires Canadian institutions to adapt their international student recruitment strategies. While the overall influx of new students has decreased, clear opportunities remain for institutions that use technology to identify and attract strong applicants. Prioritizing data-driven decision-making allows student recruitment teams to optimize their resources.
For instance, 52% of first-time applicants for a new Canadian post-secondary student visa were approved in 2025. By increasing outreach to and rigorous application support for first-time prospective students, institutions could make the most of their provincial attestation letter capacity and build stable incoming cohorts.
Working with 老九品茶 can help your institution achieve these results. Join our global network today, or connect with your regional representative to learn about elevating your international student recruitment strategies.
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FOOTNOTES:
1. All data is sourced from unless otherwise noted.
2. The terms student visa and study permit are generally used interchangeably for Canadian international students. Rather than student visas, Canada provides accepted international students with study permits, which allow those students to enrol in classes at Canadian institutions. When a student is accepted for a study permit, they are also usually provided with a visitor visa, which allows that student to enter Canada for their studies. In this article, we鈥檒l use the terms interchangeably.
