The process of becoming an international student is always a balancing act. Students, and the advisors who support them, weigh program availability, affordability, graduate outcomes, destination culture, and more when deciding where to study. To better understand which factors are pivotal to the current cohort of international students, and how students perceive top study destinations, the 老九品茶 team sent out the eighth edition of our Student Pulse Survey earlier this spring.

Over the Spring 2026 survey period, nearly 300 future students shared their insights on everything from how affordability was affecting their study abroad plans to which destinations were top-of-mind.¹ We’re grateful to all the students who responded鈥攊f you participated, thank you!

Below, we’ll explore what the survey results indicated about popular post-study plans, current interest levels in different programs, student perceptions of top destinations, and more.

Growing Interest in Undergraduate Programs

In the Spring 2026 Student Pulse Survey results, 40% of respondents expressed interest in undergraduate degree programs.³ That’s an increase of almost 15 percentage points over the results from each of the previous three surveys:⁴

It’s possible that the survey cohort this round is at an earlier stage in their academic journey, but this change remains a notable shift in interest toward undergraduate degrees, and is one our team will monitor when this survey repeats in the fall.

Meanwhile, for the second consecutive Student Pulse Survey, interest in postgraduate programs declined. Among the surveyed students, interest in pursuing a master’s degree dropped by 11 percentage points compared to Spring 2025 levels. The proportion of students interested in postgraduate certificates or diplomas also dipped鈥攂y six percentage points鈥攁nd interest in doctoral programs was eight percentage points lower than it was in last spring’s survey results.

While there’s no single reason for this shift, it may reflect how viable the next cohort of potential students think pursuing postgraduate study abroad will be. Over the past few years, several of the top study destinations have made pursuing this level of study more challenging, whether by limiting which students are eligible to bring dependents (older postgraduate students are more likely to have partners or children), shifting the parameters of post-study work opportunities, or proposing limits to overall student visa duration.

Canada Remains a Top Study Destination Among Surveyed Students

We also asked students to share how interested they were in a range of popular study destinations. This spring, Canada kept its position at the top of students’ lists:

While government policies and other factors continue to affect student mobility, it’s encouraging to see that student interest levels in Canada remain high. 81% of respondents expressed they were either “very” or “extremely” interested in studying in Canada, up from 77% in the Spring 2025 survey. This improvement suggests that, at least among this cohort, the negative impacts on Canada’s international education brand may be softening.

The US captured the next highest level of extremely interested students (45%). However, this proportion was down by 13 percentage points compared to our survey findings from a year ago. The proportion of students who were “not at all” interested in the US also doubled (from 8% to 16%) over the same timeframe. This shift in sentiment extended to a separate question, where we asked students how their interest in studying abroad in different countries was affected by government or policy changes. The percentage of students who noted their interest in the US had “greatly decreased” due to these factors was 21%,⁵ rising from 8% a year ago.

Looking across the pond, the UK received the second-highest amount of strong interest from our survey respondents.⁶ In fact, student interest in both the UK and Ireland strengthened compared to the previous survey results. Strong interest in Ireland allowed the destination to jump from sixth place to fourth in Spring 2026 among 老九品茶’s study destinations, up nine percentage points compared to Fall 2025 results.

Interest in Study Destinations Diversified in Early 2026

When we asked where future students wanted to study, fewer were focused on established destinations than in either of our 2025 Student Pulse Surveys. In fact, for the first time in four survey iterations, under 60% of respondents were solely interested in studying in one or more of the following destinations: Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, the UK, and the US. The 58% of students solely focused on the destinations listed above dropped by seven percentage points from our Spring 2025 survey results.

When we asked where else students were thinking of studying, our team also found that interest levels were more evenly divided between destinations, versus being focused on a handful of popular emerging options, which had been the case in past Student Pulse Surveys. In the Spring 2026 Pulse Survey, students shared 58 different destinations they were interested in, and no single destination was mentioned by more than 6% of respondents:

This spring, Italy and the Netherlands captured the most interest from prospective students. The high levels of interest in these destinations mirrored the results from our survey of student advisors earlier this spring. Unlike the advisor survey results for this question, which were more Eurocentric,⁷ students cited more African and Asian study destinations in their write-in answers.

Students Gravitating Toward Programs with Clearer Ties to Industry Needs

Business programs remained the most popular subject among future international students, and were included in 34% of students’ responses. However, these programs’ lead has shrunk compared to previous surveys:

This spring, interest in a number of fields other than business expanded. 26% of respondents shared they were interested in math, computer science, and IT programs, rising nearly three percentage points compared to the Fall 2025 survey. Math and IT remained the second-most popular field of study among respondents, and started to catch up to business’ lead.

Social sciences programs, fine arts programs, engineering programs, and health programs all captured more interest, each rising by 3 percentage points versus the previous survey. There’s a lot of diversity among these fields, but something they have in common is that several of the disciplines within them are more resilient in the face of automation. As this newest generation of students comes of age in an era with widespread corporate layoffs and massive investment in artificial intelligence, they’re witnessing how this workplace shift disproportionately decreases the number of entry-level positions.⁸ As such, it’s likely some future students are shifting their focus to fields where they can more feasibly build a career after graduation.

Over the last few decades, institutions have built more work-integrated learning opportunities into post-secondary programs. Learn more about how work-integrated learning is supporting Canada’s evolving labour market.

Build Your International Student Strategy with 老九品茶

The Student Pulse Survey lets us see what future international students are thinking, and where they see opportunity and challenge alike on their horizon. If you’re looking for more in-depth sector analysis, check out the 2026 老九品茶 Trends Report, and stay tuned for its next edition in November. Every year, we take a look at how our sector is evolving, and share strategies to help your team prepare for a constantly shifting landscape.

If you’re part of an institution which is interested in developing your international recruitment strategy, 老九品茶’s sector insights, real-time dashboards, and global partner network can help you reach diverse student audiences. Ready to get started? Contact our Commercial Partnerships team today.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. The Spring 2026 老九品茶 Student Pulse Survey ran between April 22 and May 6, 2026. It received 279 responses from 56 different international student populations.

2. Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

3. Students could select one or more study levels they’re interested in pursuing in their answer to this question. This is why the percentages don’t add up to 100.

4. 24% of respondents noted they were interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Fall 2025 Student Pulse Survey. In the Spring 2025 and Fall 2024 surveys, that percentage was 25%.

5. This also represented the largest proportion of students disinterested in any of the Big Four destinations: in the Spring 2026 Student Pulse Survey, only 6% of respondents were disinterested in the UK, 5% in Canada, and just 3% had no interest in Australia.

6. Here, “strong interest” captures students who were either “very” or “extremely” interested in the destination.

7. 8 of the 10 most popular destinations cited in the Spring 2026 Recruitment Pulse Survey were European.

8. Forbes, “.” August 15, 2025.

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As our team reported earlier this month, the number of new Canadian study permits approved for post-secondary students fell 64% in 2025. What that headline number did not show was the uneven shape of the year, and the uneven study permit¹ approval rates across different study levels and fields of study. For example, when we look at full-year 2025 data, new post-secondary study permit approval rates ranged from under 11% for vocational students to nearly 79% for doctorate programs.²

Post-Secondary Study Permit Approval Rates Varied Considerably in 2025

The approval rate for post-secondary study permits in 2025 did not follow a linear trajectory. That said, the rising approval rates through the first half of the year looks similar to how approval rates evolved through early 2023, albeit at a much lower average approval rate:

In 2025, new study permit approval rates began the year at just 22%, climbed steadily through the spring and early summer, spiked at 56% in August, and then averaged in the low 30s from September through December. Ultimately, the full-year 2025 visa approval rate for new post-secondary applicants was 36%. This is considerably lower than the full-year approval rate in 2024, which was 45%, and over twenty percentage points lower than 2023’s study permit approval rate for this cohort (58%).

The H1 2025 lift in approval rates reversed in the fall and winter, and ended up looking similar to Q4 2024 averages. This dip in approval rates late in the year is important, as the first eight months of 2025 suggested a return to higher approval rates that the full year didn’t deliver. That said, post-secondary study permit approval rates in December 2025 were five percentage points higher than they were in December 2024, and this improvement has continued into 2026. For example, January 2026’s study permit approval rate was 32%, compared to 22% in January 2024, marking a strong positive change of 10 percentage points year-over-year.

If we treat the approval rate spike in August 2025 as an anomaly, the delta between July and September 2025’s study permit approval rates is only 10 percentage points. This difference fits between the July-August dip in 2023 (a 6 percentage point drop) and the August-September dip in 2024 (down 13 percentage points). This suggests that the study permit approval rate may continue to stabilize, versus the downward trajectory we saw in 2024. Forward-looking academic institutions can use this stabilization as a foundation to build more targeted 2026 recruitment strategies.

Program Level Was a Defining Divider

The variance among study permit approval rates by level of study widened sharply in 2025. Approval rates for new Canadian study permits at the post-secondary level ranged from 11% for students applying to vocational programs to 52% for university undergraduate programs in 2025. College (27%) and postgraduate university programs (47%) approval rates landed in the middle of this range.³

These evolving study permit approval rates also influenced the overall proportion of study permit approvals issued to students enrolled in different post-secondary study levels:

The composition of the post-secondary study permit approval pool shifted materially between 2022 and 2025. Degree-granting programs saw their proportion of study permit approvals improve over 2024, where the proportion of approvals to students entering college and vocational programs shrank year-over-year. From 2022 through 2023, students entering college programs accounted for roughly two out of every three new post-secondary visa approvals. By 2025, applicants to college, university – undergraduate, and university – postgraduate programs each held between one-quarter and one-third of the visa approvals.

This rebalancing highlights a clear signal鈥擟anada’s international student cap and the federal focus on programs tied to long-term economic contribution have contributed to the assessment of program fit during the study permit application process. In many cases, student visa applications with a clearer path to graduate study, or recognized long-term labour market outcomes were approved more consistently. Meanwhile, study permit applications to shorter post-secondary programs were approved less often.

Proportion of Study Permit Approvals to Business Students Dipped in 2025

The proportion of study permit approvals received by applicants to different fields of study also changed notably in 2025:

The proportion of visa approvals to Business, Management, and Economics applicants declined the most in 2025. After holding between 46% and 48% of post-secondary approvals from 2022 to 2024, Business study permit applicants received only 27% of approvals in 2025, and had an overall study permit approval rate of 31%. The compression was concentrated in the Business Management and the Marketing and Business Commerce sub-fields, which are the largest sub-fields in this field of study.

Engineering and Technology strengthened as the rest of the pool contracted. Engineering held roughly a quarter of approvals through 2022, 2023, and 2024, then rose to 29% in 2025. However, its gain didn’t come from volume expansion. Visa approval rates fell across most fields in 2025, but Engineering and Technology fell less steeply, from 44% in 2024 to 36% in 2025, so its share of the smaller pool of approvals grew accordingly. Computing and IT, Applied Sciences, and Architecture were the sub-fields within Engineering and Technology that held their weight most durably.

Meanwhile, the Arts, Humanities, and Social Science field roughly doubled their share of visa approvals. The Arts bucket moved from 10% of approvals in 2024 to 20% in 2025. As with engineering and technology, this is indicative of these fields’ study permit approval rate resilience. The total number of post-secondary student visa approvals fell sharply year-over-year, which meant applicants to fields with steadier approval rates received a larger proportion of total approvals. Because applicants to Arts, Humanities, and Social Science programs had an average approval rate of 48%,⁴ which was closer to 2023 levels than most other fields, their share of study permit approvals in 2025 reflected that durability.

Science program applicants benefitted from the steadiest visa approval rates, remaining stable year-over-year at 56%. The Sciences bucket grew from roughly 1% of student visa approvals in 2022 to 8% in 2025. As such, institutions with meaningful program depth in general sciences entered 2026 on firmer ground than most of the sector. General Sciences and Agriculture program applicants were approved at rates well above the post-secondary average in every year noted above.

The proportion of approvals to students in Health Sciences and Medicine programs held roughly flat year-over-year, lifting from 9% to 11%. Biomedical and Medicine sub-fields had similar approval rates to 2024, while the larger Health Sciences sub-field fell. Overall, the 2025 study permit approval rate for Health Sciences and Medicine was 31%.

Lastly, students entering Trades and Vocational programs received less than 3% of study permit approvals between 2022 and 2025. This field had the lowest study permit approval rate of any field in 2025, at 19%.

The 2025 data shows that last year, students applying to university programs and scientific fields had a clear advantage when it came to applying for a study permit. In contrast, applying to business credentials or shorter programs was less likely to be successful. While not prescriptive, this shift aligns with Canada’s physical economy needs, particularly in the sectors that sustained strong study permit approval rates. For instance, the health care and social assistance sector saw a 49% increase in job vacancies versus 2019. This highlights an opportunity for institutions to more closely align international student interest with demand for talent in such priority sectors.

Clear Academic Pathways Lead to Successful Student Recruitment Outcomes

The 2025 study permit data also reinforces that applicants with a clear academic path are more likely to receive study permit approvals. Applicants with a chosen program which continued their prior study or career history had higher success rates. For example, a master’s after a bachelor’s is a clear path. As we noted in a recent webinar, the applicants with the highest approval rates are those whose Statement of Purpose makes the link between their study history, their work history, and their chosen program explicit.

This serves as a strategic blueprint for institutions looking to optimize their enrolment outcomes. By focusing on applicants who are aligned with program demand and long-term labour market needs, institutions can proactively refine their portfolio weighting to prioritize those credentials鈥攕uch as university degrees and applied sciences鈥攖hat have historically stronger approval rates.

This trend requires institutions to apply the same outcomes-focused scrutiny upstream: identifying and guiding applicants toward programs where their documented trajectory is strongest. 老九品茶 facilitates this strategic alignment, leveraging proprietary data to surface essential profile-to-program fit signals earlier in the funnel. Curious about how our team can support your institution’s international recruitment strategies? Reach out to our Commercial Partnerships team today.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. 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.

2. All data is sourced from (IRCC) unless otherwise noted.

3. Figures reflect IRCC operational data extracted March 23, 2026, and are subject to minor revision.

4. For the study permit approval rate for Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, we have combined the study permit approvals for the Arts and the Law, Politics, Social, and Teaching sectors.

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As Canada’s demographic ratio shifts, international students will continue to provide a valuable solution to labor gaps that domestic talent alone cannot fill. This is both true during their studies, through work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences like internships, practicums, and co-ops, and after they graduate.听

Over the last few decades, building WIL into post-secondary coursework has become more popular. Among its other benefits, students gain hands-on experience in their field, and connect with Canadian organizations who can grow thanks to their skills. The advantages of completing a co-op or internship extend beyond graduation: in both college- and university-level programs, students who completed formal work experience are more likely to find work related to their major as their first job after graduating, and, on average, earn a higher income than students whose programs didn’t include WIL.¹

Total Job Vacancies Drop Year-Over-Year in Early 2026

In January 2026, there were just over 492,000 job vacancies across Canada. This marked a drop of 7% year-over-year, and was 10% lower than in January 2019:

Although current job vacancy rates represent a cooling from the highs of recent years, they also reflect a return to a pre-pandemic baseline. This shift underscores the renewed necessity for institutions to guide students toward highly targeted disciplines and strengthen industry connections to prepare students for careers in their field after graduation.

Encouraging Policy Signals Emerge Around Addressing Youth Unemployment

Careful program guidance and career-ready skillbuilding are especially important tasks as young workers continue to have greater challenges around finding work. The unemployment rate among youth between 15 and 24 is historically higher than the collective rate, averaging around 14%.² While the overall unemployment rate was 6.7% in March 2026, the youth unemployment rate was just under the historical average at 13.8%.³ The youth unemployment rate remained relatively stable YOY, but was one percentage point lower than the recent high in September 2025, and well below May 2020’s historic high of 29.4%.听

To prevent youth unemployment from rising, it’s encouraging to hear about recent measures to support Canada’s newest workers. In April 2026, the Canadian government shared that the would expand, adding 55,000 new WIL opportunities for post-secondary students in their field.⁴ The government also announced that the program was expanding, and the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy would also offer thousands of work experience opportunities nationwide.听

While some of these initiatives aren’t open to international students, expanding these programs means more co-ops and entry-level jobs exist, which in turn improve international students’ chances of securing other WIL opportunities or part-time work.

Job Vacancies Rise Across Several Sectors Versus Pre-Pandemic Levels

Next, let’s look at how job vacancies across specific sectors of the Canadian workforce have evolved in early 2026:

While total job vacancies across several sectors have contracted since 2019, there are two exceptions. Both health care and social assistance (up 49%) and educational services (+34%) had more job vacancies in January 2026. This growth is a hopeful signal for new graduates, particularly in the health care and social assistance sector, which looked to fill 93,000 job vacancies across Canada earlier this year.

Year-over-year, early 2026 marked moderately increased needs for skilled workers in educational services (+5%), information and cultural services (+3%), financial services (+14%), and professional, scientific, and technical fields (+6%) compared with vacancies in January 2025. This translates into potentially more job opportunities for new grads from these fields.

Lastly, although job vacancies in 2026 were below 2025 and 2019 levels in the skilled trades, the need for new tradespeople remains strong. Over 100,000 trades jobs were vacant across Canada in January 2026, spread across the utilities, construction, manufacturing, and transportation and warehousing 蝉别肠迟辞谤蝉.听

Skilled trades can be more challenging fields for international students to pursue. This is in part due to related policy guidelines, and the combined financial constraints of higher international tuition levels and the apprenticeship period, where many apprentices are reluctant to take a pay cut to attend the (unpaid) training required to progress. Meanwhile, some early-stage apprentices struggle to find employers to sponsor them during their work placements.听⁵

Ensuring more students enter and complete their trades training requires sustained collaboration between governments, industry, and academic institutions. Complimentary strategies could include industry-academic partnerships which teach more current tradespeople how to mentor apprentices, and building apprenticeship training requirements into new building projects. Some sector leaders also suggest recalibrating the ratio of journeypersons to apprentices: increasing the number of apprentices a journeyperson can supervise gives more youth the hands-on experience they need.听

颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 Workforce Needs in 2030 and Beyond

As Canada’s workforce ages, international students will remain a key element of the nation’s ongoing economic and cultural prosperity:

A thriving economy relies on new perspectives to drive innovation and build infrastructure. After graduation, international students bring diverse outlooks and current skillsets to their employers, whether they return to their country of citizenship or pursue a career in Canada or a third country. Among those who choose to stay in Canada, many new grads benefit from understanding how Canadian workplaces operate, having worked part-time while studying.听

An older workforce will also shift how Canadians live and work together. In 2010, 14% of Canada’s population was 65 or older. . By 2040, it’s projected at least 24% of Canada’s population will be over 65. When nearly one in four Canadians is retirement-aged, it will fundamentally alter service provision, industry capacity, and even personal capacity, as working Canadians balance their jobs with caring for aging parents. International education enables Canadian institutions to train a broader group of the next generation of skilled workers, and immigration in a broader sense is a vital avenue to ensuring that the Canadian public and private sectors continue to function.

Sector-Specific Projections Illustrate Workplace Gaps

Canada’s aging workforce is top-of-mind for construction industry leaders. In Ontario alone, over 90,000 workers are projected to retire by 2034.⁶ Looking westward, retirements in Alberta are projected to exceed 43,000 over the same timeframe.⁷ However, retirement numbers don’t tell the whole story: as demand for construction projects grows, companies must replace retiring workers and hire for new roles. Across Alberta, projections by BuildForce Canada suggest that as many as 59,000 new construction workers may be needed by 2034. In Ontario, hiring requirements may exceed 154,000 vacancies. While supply chain challenges and evolving trade conditions may shift these numbers, the need for construction workers to build and maintain Canadians’ homes, businesses, and infrastructure remains constant.

Across the health care and social assistance sector, the average annual growth in the projected workforce supply is expected to range from 1.1% for pharmacists up to 4.1% for nurse practitioners through 2034. That growth is slower than required, perhaps most starkly illustrated by Canada’s ongoing need for family practitioners: a 2025 Health Canada study found that across Canada, 49% more family doctors were needed than exist in the current supply.⁸ Nursing roles also face labour shortages through the 2030s. Ontario alone is projected to need 33,000 more nurses and 50,000 new personal support workers by 2032.⁹ And, as Canada’s largest group of regulated health professionals, nurses’ absence affects the capacity of diverse medical teams. More nurse practitioner programs have been recently added to Canadian institutions, and more are planned, to help address this shortage.

Strong partnerships between academic institutions and healthcare organizations can bridge these talent gaps, whether through WIL, mentorship, or career counselling. Enhanced data management practices are also key. For example, to help the sector understand how incoming graduates stack up to sector vacancies, a recent study highlighted that having academic institutions track program data beyond first-year enrolments, total student numbers, and total graduate numbers was very helpful during workforce planning.¹⁰

Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates Attract Future Students Seeking Programs with WIL

老九品茶’s platform data illustrates that international students are interested in programs with work-integrated learning opportunities (WIL). Between 2022 and 2024, the number of applicants to Canadian post-secondary programs with WIL elements grew steadily. And, while total numbers declined in 2025 as the overall sector contracted in response to shifting government policy and rising affordability concerns, our team is watching closely to see where this number goes in 2026.

Between 2022 and 2025, our internal data showed that international students applying to programs with WIL were most likely to choose diplomas or postgraduate certificates:

While it’s important to emphasize these findings are exclusively for students who used the 老九品茶 platform, and aren’t representative of the total cohort of applicants to programs with WIL, they provide a signpost around where student interest and availability of WIL programs overlap.听

As early adopters of WIL, college programs like diplomas are historically more likely to include WIL. That said, bachelor’s programs are increasingly incorporating work placement elements as well.¹¹ Meanwhile, postgraduate certificates are popular among students who want to refine their knowledge in a specific branch of their field. As such, work placements are also popular course elements at this study level.

Advanced diplomas and bachelor’s degrees were also popular among 老九品茶 platform users. Each accounted for between 6% and 11% of applicants between 2022 and 2025.

Looking Forward

International students will remain a key driver for campuses, workplaces, and communities across the country. They bring fresh perspectives and cutting-edge skills to their classrooms, and later, to their workplaces. To help domestic and international students build the career-ready skills they need, businesses, governments, and academic institutions all play a vital role in ensuring the ongoing success and viability of WIL programs. Importantly, work experience programs have their greatest impact where cross-sectoral cooperation is strong.听

Industry, academic, and public sector organizations’ responsibilities may include earmarking funding for WIL, building capacity for co-op students into the business’ yearly budget, providing mentorship, or strengthening an alumni network. Collectively, actions like these help today’s students develop the skills they need to become tomorrow’s early childhood educators, construction managers, registered psychiatric nurses, aerospace engineers鈥攁nd, excitingly, more jobs we can’t imagine yet.

颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 current policies link . As such, institutions that can show how their programs teach valuable skills, provide hands-on experience, and align with evolving regulations will stand out. The 老九品茶 platform can equip Canadian academic institutions with the proprietary search and intent data needed to match their international student cohort with 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 labour needs. To further refine your student recruitment strategy, we invite you to contact our Commercial Partnerships Team.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. C.D. Howe Institute, . May 31, 2023. Accessed April 16, 2026.

2. Government of Canada, . June 23, 2021. Accessed April 16, 2026.

3. Government of Canada, . Accessed April 15, 2026.

4. Government of Canada, . News release. April 13, 2026.

5. CBC, . Dec. 21, 2025. Accessed Apr. 16, 2026.

6. BuildForce Canada, . April 1, 2025.

7. BuildForce Canada, . Published April 2025. Accessed April 16, 2026.

8. Health Canada, . January 2025.

9. CBC, . May 13, 2024.

10. Health Canada, . January 2025.

11. CEWIL Canada and Academica Group, . January 2024.

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For some international graduates, their study destination becomes their new home. Studying abroad can be a powerful experience, and students build strong friendships and vital skills over their time on campus. After graduating, some pursue permanent residency (PR) to deepen those ties, while also bringing their valuable knowledge to the Canadian workforce. Below, we’ll compare the PR approval rates for past study permit holders¹ and applicants who have never held a Canadian study permit. We’ll also look at how PR approvals for past international students have evolved across Canada between 2018 and 2025.

Note: To apply for PR, potential applicants must receive an invitation or nomination from the government (ITA). To apply via Express Entry, these individuals must meet or exceed a set score and then receive an invitation. Other PR streams have different criteria, but all will issue invitations or nominations to eligible applicants in their pool. The data in this article refers only to applicants who received an invitation or nomination to apply for PR.

Canadian PR Approval Rates for International Graduates Consistently Higher than Non-Graduates

The difference between the PR approval rate for past study permit holders and non-study permit holders was at its widest in recent history (except during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020):²

In 2025, 94% of permanent residency applicants who had previously held a study permit or study permit extension were approved. This was nine percentage points higher than the PR acceptance rate of non-study permit or extension holders.

The PR approval rate also dipped less year-over-year (YOY) for former students in 2025. It dropped three percentage points compared to 2024, while falling six percentage points for applicants who had never held a study permit or permit extension. As the figure above shows, PR approval rates were also generally more stable for applicants who had previously held a study permit.

India Remained Top Incoming Population for PR Approval Among Past Study Permit or Extension Holders in 2025

Canada-wide, the total number of PR approvals for past study permit holders dropped 17% in 2025 versus 2024. This change was influenced in part by shifts among the largest incoming demographics. Out of the 10 international graduate populations who received the highest number of PR approvals, half received fewer approvals in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Applicants from India who had previously held a study permit or study permit extension received the largest number of Canadian PR approvals out of any nationality of past study permit holders in 2025:

While past study permit holders from India have received the most PR approvals out of any incoming population since 2018, the total number of PR applications which this demographic submitted dipped below 50,000 last year. This change marked a return to application levels last seen in 2022 for past study permit holders from India.

Out of that cohort, nearly 41,000 PR applications were approved, which was 26% less than in 2024. A lower PR approval rate for this subset of Indian applicants, dipping from 98% in 2024 to 94% in 2025, contributed to the lower approval count. However, the larger shift came from the smaller number of applications.

That said, a lower PR approval rate wasn’t unique to India. Among past study permit or extension holders, 8 out of the 10 largest populations had lower approval rates than in 2024.听

PR Approvals Rise for Past Study Permit Holders Among Many Francophone Populations

In addition to Colombia (which is not a Francophone country), France and Morocco were the outliers in 2025, with PR approval rates for past study permit holders which remained stable. Notably, however, France and Morocco’s overall number of approvals climbed significantly, up 40% and 80% YOY respectively. Other Francophone populations like Algeria saw their total approvals for past study permit holders improve too, rising 79% over 2024 levels.听

While upward trends weren’t unanimous among Francophone countries, as total approvals decreased by 16% YOY for past study permit holders from Tunisia, approvals for past international students from both Cameroon (+80% YOY) and C么te d’Ivoire (+79%) climbed.

Comparing PR Approval Rates Across Canada for International Graduates and Non-Graduates听

Below, we’ll look at each province’s proportion of PR approvals for past study permit holders between 2018 and 2025.

Note: Generally, PR applicants must receive an invitation or nomination to apply, whether through or a regional program like the or the . Thus, references to 鈥渇ormer study permit holders鈥� below do not refer to all past international students. It only includes those who have submitted their profile for consideration, and have then received invitations to apply for PR.听

Across Canada, the percentage of PR approvals earned by past study permit holders rose from the mid-teens in the late 2010s, and peaked in 2021 at above 40% as COVID-19 limited other PR applicants’ ability to come to Canada. Subsequently, this proportion dipped as mobility resumed, hovering in the high 20s and low 30s through the early 2020s. Last year, applicants who previously held a Canadian study permit received 26% of all PR approvals. However, this population is distributed unevenly:

British Columbia

Last year, previous study permit or extension holders received 33% of all PR approvals in BC, a proportion which was up by four percentage points year-over-year, even though the total number of PR approvals this demographic received dipped by 18% over the same timeframe. Despite the downturn in overall approvals, over 15,000 former students were approved for PR in 2025. This change meant that last year, BC had the third-most PR approvals for former students, and ceded its former rank of second-most to Quebec.

Prairie Provinces

Over the past few years, three different patterns have emerged across the prairie provinces: a stable cohort of past study permit-holder PR approvals in Alberta, growth of the same cohort in Saskatchewan, and decline in Manitoba. While many factors influence PR approvals, , compared to Saskatchewan’s one, which may help Manitoba attract more diverse PR applicants:

However, it’s important to look at the total number of approvals this demographic received as well. Year-over-year, total PR approvals to past study permit holders decreased across all three of these provinces in 2025. While the proportion of total PR approvals to this cohort increased YOY in Saskatchewan, past international students’ total number of PR approvals decreased by over 2,000.

Ontario

While the proportion of PR approvals for past study permit holders grew in 2025 by three percentage points, as overall PR numbers dropped, this represented a smaller total number of new Canadians. Over 10,000 fewer past study permit or extension holders who listed Ontario as their province of destination were approved for PR in 2025 than 2024, representing a decline of 19%.听

Despite this recent dip, however, past study permit holders’ proportion of total PR approvals in Ontario has hovered in the mid-20s since 2023鈥攁 proportion which has nearly doubled since the late 2010s.

Quebec

Last year, past study permit holders intending to settle in Quebec received the highest proportion of PR approvals (26%) within the province than at any point over the last eight years. Changes to Quebecois PR pathways in 2024 and 2025 likely influenced this shift. In 2024, the Quebec government (PEQ), a popular PR pathway. Eligible applicants could then instead pursue PR through the Skilled Worker Selection Program or an immigration pilot.听

In November 2025, the PEQ closed permanently. All pilot programs also wrapped up in January 2026, with only the AI pilot program accepting new applicants until December 31.³ As recent graduates are among the most likely to have AI expertise, they likely composed a higher proportion of this pilot’s applicants.

Atlantic Canada听

While the four Atlantic Canadian provinces are neighbours, the composition of their PR approvals varies considerably:

Between 2018 and 2025, Prince Edward Island (PEI) had the largest proportion of past study permit holders among its pool of PR approvals than any other province. PEI is Canada’s smallest province, which is reflected in its total PR count: when past study permit holders’ proportion of PR approvals peaked in 2021, that translated into their receiving just over 1,500 approvals.

In New Brunswick, the total number of past study permit holders approved for PR climbed to nearly 3,200 in 2025, exceeding Nova Scotia’s total of just under 3,000. This was the first time in at least the last eight years in which this was true. Meanwhile, Newfoundland’s proportion of international graduates ticked upward in 2025, climbing four percentage points YOY.

Preparing Graduates for a Bright Global Future

A key part of the work international education professionals do with students is preparing them for their next steps after graduation. Whether it’s moving into an advanced degree or the job market, students thrive when they understand their options and feel supported by their academic institutions and community organizations.听

Across Canada, international graduates continue to be approved for permanent residency at a significantly higher rate than applicants who did not hold a Canadian study permit.听

While it’s important to remember that the approval rate advantage of former study permit holders applies only to applicants who received an ITA, it’s unsurprising that they’re approved at higher rates than applicants who weren’t former students. International students benefit from access to the latest knowledge in their field and hands-on training through their studies, and build cultural competencies while on campus that help them to better understand and integrate into Canadian society. Ultimately, these advantages help to prepare past study permit holders for success when pursuing the next chapter of their lives in Canada.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. The terms听student visa听and听study permit听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.

2. All data is sourced from (IRCC) unless noted otherwise.

3. CIC News, “.” Updated Nov. 7, 2025.

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Last year, overall international student numbers climbed, highlighting these students’ determination for a world-class education even amid rising costs and often less hospitable policy environments. In 2026, student pathways continue to be meaningfully shaped by government updates, affordability concerns, and broader social movements. Our 2026 Trends Report highlighted a number of shifts informing the sector. Below, we’re leveraging the latest information available to build off of this report and give you the insights you need to effectively support student success this year.

Here are some of our top international education sector predictions for 2026.

1. International Education Will Remain in the Spotlight

We expect immigration to remain a top-of-mind issue in many Anglophone destinations in 2026, and for it to continue to affect international education policies in these countries.

International enrolments are projected to reach 8.5 million worldwide by 2030.¹ Preparing for these outbound students is a growing priority for institutions and governments in many destinations, whether in the form of building adequate student housing, revising course options to align with student demand and job market needs, or providing support services on campus.

Institutions across the sector are hopeful that the increased level of public attention on post-secondary education will translate to increased funding or more sustainable funding models. In many study destinations, colleges and universities are collectively lobbying for major increases in operating funding after years of frozen tuition and constrained public funding led to budget cuts, layoffs, and program reductions.² This isn’t unique to any single geography; many institutions are weathering increased student demand with less funding, or are restricted by investment tied to specific initiatives.

2. Evolving US Policy Environment Shifts Student Inflows

Despite a mid-year pause in visa processing and highly publicized visa revocations in 2025, many international students’ resolve to study in the US remains. However, as these news stories were shared, some students’ outlook on the US shifted: in 老九品茶’s Fall 2025 Pulse Surveys, 17% of students and 18% of international student advisors strongly agreed the US was an open, safe, and welcoming destination for international students.

If the current volatility continues, more international students may explore alternative options for starting or completing their degree. New international student enrolment dipped by 7% year-over-year in the 2024/25 academic year,³ but many US institutions continue to offer excellent learning and research opportunities for international students, and institutional efforts are underway to stabilize enrolment in 2025/26.

Immigration Guidelines to Redirect Some International Students

Meanwhile, evolving immigration policies, such as adjustments to H-1B visas,⁴ also affect student outlooks. Furthermore, while the US government’s January 1 travel guidance has introduced new restrictions on the issuance of US student visas for individuals from 39 countries, it also prompts prospective students to explore a wider range of global educational opportunities.⁵

For instance, Nigeria, which was the eighth most common place of origin for international students in the US over the most recent academic year, is now seeking new destinations for its talented students.⁶ While current Nigerian students in the US will maintain their visas, prospective international students from Nigeria are poised to enrich other education systems. To illustrate just one impact of this measure, consider that nearly 22,000 Nigerian students were enrolled in studies in the US in 2024/25, and the U.S. Department of Commerce estimated the economic impact of this student population in 2024 was US$889 million.

As the enrolment number above includes students at all points in their studies, it鈥攁nd the related research and innovation metrics, along with the economic support鈥攚on’t disappear from the US overnight. But, over the next few years, these students’ absence will affect the communities and campuses they would have otherwise joined.

3. Further Diversification of Popular Study Destinations

Restrictive policy shifts in major Anglophone destinations contribute to international students’ rising interest in a wider range of study countries. And whether one refers to the expanded list as the Big 12, 14, or 15, international student populations in these destinations will likely continue to grow through 2026.

For example, almost 75% of German universities welcomed equal or higher numbers of new international students over the most recent academic year.⁷ Additionally, survey results from the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) found that 46% of universities planned to increase the number of English-taught courses they offered year-over-year.

Common themes across other study destinations include strategic investment in their higher education sectors and responsiveness to international trends. These countries are setting ambitious goals and reaching them, sometimes ahead of schedule, as South Korea did by surpassing its target of 300,000 international students two years early.⁸

Other governments are facilitating student pathways to welcome students impacted by policy changes elsewhere: the EduBridge to Spain initiative allows students who are either enrolled in or planning to enrol in American universities to transfer their credits and secure acceptance into Spanish higher education institutions.⁹ While user data on the EduBridge program is forthcoming, targeted programs like these are often successful in attracting bright students and researchers.

These are just a few examples of how emerging study destinations are preparing for the next wave of student mobility and positioning themselves as attractive, stable options. The main takeaway here is that a large number of countries are ready to welcome the skilled students who feel turned away by restrictive policies in the major Anglophone destinations, and that the 鈥淏ig Four鈥� will likely be a misnomer within the next few years.

4. Affordability and Career-Readiness Top Concerns for Students

In 老九品茶’s Fall 2025 Pulse Survey, we asked our network of international student advisors how they expected the sector to evolve. This response highlights students’ changing priorities and the careful balance the sector must strike:

Looking ahead, three clear shifts stand out in international education. First, the demand is increasingly policy driven. For Nigerian students, immigration rules matter far more than university rankings. Second, new destinations are emerging. Ireland, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Mauritius, and the UAE may not carry the prestige of the UK or US, but their friendlier policies make them serious contenders. Third, the financial burden is forcing more creative solutions, including a turn toward scholarships, tuition discounts, and even blended or remote programs that allow students to earn international credentials without shouldering the full cost of relocation.

Respondents to the Fall 2025 老九品茶 Student Pulse Survey were similarly focused on affordability and flexibility:

Only 12% of students noted that affordability wasn’t affecting their study abroad plans. The remaining respondents shared that they were considering a combination of alternate destinations, different program options or durations, or employment options to afford their studies.

Graduate Outcomes Prioritized by Many International Students

Meanwhile, these students are graduating into a competitive global job market. The report from the National Association of Colleges + Employers (NACE) noted that 45% of surveyed US employers characterized the job market for new graduates as “fair.” This is a downgrade compared to the previous four years, when the plurality of employers ranked the job market as “good.” In the UK, employers received over 1 million applications for around 17,000 graduate vacancies in 2024. This marked the highest level of competition for graduate-level roles since the Institute of Student Employers started collecting this data in 1991.¹⁰

Intensified competition from their peers, as well as the replacement of many entry-level roles with automation, means that graduate engagement rates are becoming more than just numbers to prospective students. Graduate engagement is a measurable indicator of whether the investment required for an international education is worth spending at a specific institution. While this is only one dimension of students’ decision-making, institutions should proactively highlight offerings that can jumpstart a new grad’s career, whether it’s their graduates’ success stories, alumni support services, or industry partnerships. A sharper focus on return-on-education-investment and affordability is expected to persist through 2026.

5. TNE Promises Flexibility and Increased Access

Like international students, academic institutions are also adapting to fluctuating policy and a rising cost of living. Outdated funding models, widespread demands, and limited income sources continue to affect many institutions’ operations. For some institutions, transnational education opportunities (TNE) broaden access to international student audiences while providing more diversified funding.

TNE, which encompasses branch campuses, distance learning, joint education institutions and programmes (JEIs and JEPs), and more, is already a well-established approach. Still, it felt omnipresent in the back half of 2025, not least as Indian and Chinese governments updated their guidelines around transnational education.

Both countries increased their regulatory flexibility to allow more international universities to establish branch campuses. In September 2025, China approved a total of 50 new JEPs and JEIs, with the UK, Russia, and the US securing the highest numbers of approvals.¹¹ Meanwhile, nearly 20 institutions from Australia, Italy, the UK, and the US announced branch campuses in India in 2025. The UK’s University of Southampton was the first of this cohort to open, last August.¹²

We expect to see more institutions updating what their international partnerships and learning opportunities look like in 2026. One of the highest-profile examples of TNE on the world stage is its inclusion as a key element for increasing the value of the UK’s education exports in the government’s new .

Upcoming 老九品茶 Events and Insights

2026 will present many opportunities and challenges for teams across the international education sector. To effectively support student success, strategic planning and agile adaptation to the latest trends is critical. At 老九品茶, we’re committed to helping all our partners and the sector at large build the new paths forward.

One of the most exciting ways we’ll do this will be in Delhi this March, where we’ll connect with our network of international student advisors and academic institutions at TRW 2026. This flagship two-day event is a great opportunity to learn what’s next for the sector and meet similarly-minded changemakers.

Want to join us? .

We also encourage you to stay connected by following 老九品茶’s channels on and . And, for direct commentary on how these trends may affect the international education sector, we invite you to , on LinkedIn.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. The PIE, . December 30, 2026.

2. Global News, “.” January 21, 2026.

3. IIE, . November 17, 2025.

4. Financial Express, “.” January 15, 2026.

5. NAFSA, . January 15, 2026.

6. IIE, . November 17, 2025.

7. DAAD, . December 19, 2025.

8. The PIE, “.” October 31, 2025.

9. Language Magazine, “.” September 1, 2025.

10. Euro News, “” October 14, 2025.

11. British Council, . September 24, 2025.

12. The PIE, “” December 24, 2025.

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Over the 2024/25 academic year,¹ interest in Irish higher education remained strong. In fact, international student enrolment reached a record high of 44,500, surpassing the previous year鈥檚 total of 40,000.听

Below, we’re taking a closer look at recently released student data from Ireland’s Higher Education Authority (HEA),² and diving into some of the trends shaping this sustained demand. We’ll discuss which programmes were attractive to international students, which student populations were among the fastest-growing in Ireland, overall international enrolment levels, and more.

Ireland’s International Student Population Continues to Grow

For the fourth academic year in a row, the number of international enrolments in Irish higher education institutions grew. In fact, total enrolments reached a new record in 2024/25:

Total international enrolments were up by 10% year-over-year in 2024/25. While this was a slower pace than in the previous academic years, it continued the trend of steady growth across the sector.听

It’s also encouraging that international undergraduate and postgraduate enrolments climbed. Undergraduate enrolments increased by 9% year-over-year while postgraduate enrolments climbed by 11%. In fact, the postgraduate sector is rapidly closing the gap between the two cohorts, with the study level trending toward exceeding undergraduate enrolments by the next academic cycle.听

老九品茶’s Fall 2025 Student Pulse Survey found that, of 老九品茶’s six study destinations, Ireland had the lowest rate of negative perception among international students. Respondents largely saw Ireland as an open, safe, and welcoming destination.听

Ireland’s Top International Student Populations in 2024/25

For the second year in a row, Indian students were the largest international student population in Ireland. In 2024/25, Indian students represented just over 20% of all international enrolments in Ireland. Enrolments from Indian students grew by 30% year-over-year, which made it a key driver of the sector’s growth:听

American students, who had been the largest student population until 2023/24, remained the second-largest cohort. This was also the fourth year in a row that the American international student population grew, a trend that will likely continue as more American students considered studying abroad in 2025 than in 2024. A recent study found that Ireland tied with Italy as the fourth most popular study abroad destination among American students.³

Enrolments from UK students, on the other hand, dipped by 5% year-over-year. This continues an ongoing trend for UK-based international students, as it鈥檚 the fourth year in a row in which their enrolments have dipped. This likely ties into the UK’s departure from both the European Union in late 2020 and the EU-wide Erasmus Programme, which allowed students from participating countries to study abroad without paying international student fees. As , our team predicts that the UK student population in Ireland will start rising again in that academic year.

Elsewhere, enrolment levels for Chinese students leveled out, remaining essentially the same as in 2023/24. Combined, the four largest international student populations in Ireland composed 51% of the total international student body during this past academic year:

Growth Diversifies Across Ireland’s Higher Education Sector

Several emerging international student populations also grew quickly in 2024/25. In fact, 70% of the 30 largest international student populations in Ireland expanded over the most recent academic year:

The Netherlands was the fastest-growing student population, rising by 41% compared to 2023/24 levels. In 2024/25, 6 of the 10 fastest-growing student populations in Ireland were European, which is understandable when nearly 40% of young Europeans think that the freedom to travel and explore other countries is a key benefit of being part of the EU.⁴听

This mobility is encouraged by programs like , which allows students from participating countries (the 27 EU Member States and 6 non-EU associated countries) to study in another participating country for up to 12 months. Students receive a grant that supports their travel and daily living costs, and are exempt from tuition, lab fees or library charges, though they still must cover insurance and student union fees. Initiatives like this are central to improving access to international study opportunities.

That said, three out of the four fastest-growing international student populations over the last two academic years were from outside of Europe: Brazil, India, and Mexico’s student populations each grew by over 25% in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. By continuing to attract diverse student populations, institutions and government agencies bolster Ireland’s strength as a study destination.

Top Fields of Study in Ireland in 2024/25

Business, administration, and law programmes reclaimed the top spot from health and welfare-related courses as the most popular field of study among international students in Ireland. Almost 20% of international students pursued a business, administration, or law-related course in 2024/25:

Nearly every field of study saw a higher number of enrolments, which can be explained in part by the higher total number of international students in Ireland. That said, some fields grew faster than others. Arts, business, natural sciences, and ICT courses saw double-digit enrolment growth year-over-year. Meanwhile, growth slowed in the health and engineering fields of study.

An exception to this pattern was education programme enrolment, which dropped by 40% year-over-year. It was the only field of study that didn’t grow, and aligns with findings in other parts of the world that demand for education programmes is declining.⁵ Across many of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, while teachers’ annual salary numbers increased between 2015 and 2023, it wasn’t enough to keep up with inflation. As such, many teachers’ purchasing power was lower in 2023 than it was in 2015. Over that timeframe, in Ireland, experienced lower secondary teachers’ purchasing power . This economic shift may contribute to international students seeing teaching as a less attractive career choice.听

For many international students, the financial investment required to live and study abroad is significant. This may have influenced their interest in business, health, and STEM fields, as, especially for STEM graduates, starting salaries can be higher.⁶ Meanwhile, new grads pursuing health care roles are in steady demand, and their training can prepare them for careers across the EU.

Building a Sustainable Future for International Students in Ireland听

As student populations grow, institutions must sustain programs and tools that encourage holistic student success. Per HEA data, in the most recent academic year, 20% out of all students (international and domestic) in Ireland reported that they live with a disability. Learning difficulties like dyslexia or ADHD were reported by 50% of those students, while 38% reported a psychological or emotional condition.听

Life with a disability affects international students in a variety of ways: not least, they experience the additional stressors of living and studying in an unfamiliar country, and may also be adjusting to a learning environment in their non-primary language. They might be less familiar with the student well-being or academic services offered by a HEI, or less willing to seek support when they need it.⁷ For example, an US-based survey of nearly 45,000 college students (domestic and international) found that international students were less likely to report depression-anxiety or anxiety diagnoses despite reporting higher rates of depressive symptoms (42.4%) than their domestic peers (40.2%).⁸听

Compounding this challenge is that as recently as 2023, a survey conducted by the European Union found Ireland was the hardest place in the EU to access mental health services. Respondents cited factors like cost, treatment and diagnosis delays, long waiting lists, and lack of awareness of different services.⁹

Open conversations about the different tools available on-campus and online helps to destigmatize accessing these services. And across campus, using human-forward and tech initiatives can help international students thrive. For example, student support volunteers who speak the languages of your institution’s largest international student populations are crucial connection points. They can help new students build a new social community, and overcome moments of culture shock.听

Meanwhile, technology that gauges student engagement via course logins or missed assignments flags to instructors when a student might be struggling. This enables instructors and student support teams to offer proactive, instead of reactive, care. Instructors can also use tools like to more easily adapt their courses to fit different learning styles, in turn boosting learner engagement and overall student success.

It’s encouraging to see Ireland’s international education sector continue to grow for its fourth straight academic year. Ireland’s excellent education system, welcoming approach to international students, and position as a tech hub within the EU make it an attractive choice for many international students. The 老九品茶 team is proud to support our Irish higher education institution partners in connecting with them.听

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. Unless noted otherwise, dates refer to Ireland’s academic year, which runs from September to May.

2. All data in this article is courtesy of the (HEA). Data methodology changes occurred between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 HEA datasets. So, the data in this article is not directly comparable to our analysis of Ireland鈥檚 international education sector in Dec. 2024. Note that HEA rounds values to the nearest five students.

3. The PIE. “.” July 1, 2025.

4. European Union, “.” February 2025.

5. EducationWeek. “.” October 27, 2025.

6. USA Today. “.” March 9, 2023.

7. Frontiers in Psychiatry. “.” April 15, 2025.

8. National Library of Medicine. “.” January 31, 2021.

9. PLOS One. “.” August 21, 2025.

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The international education sector in Canada is navigating its most significant period of policy-driven change. As we discussed earlier this year, the impacts of 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 caps on student demand have resulted in the majority of recent study permit issuances¹ being granted to students already residing in Canada, fundamentally altering the enrolment mix.

Recent study permit data confirms this historic shift in student volume,² marking a substantial decline in the intake of new international students and demanding strategic recalibration from post-secondary institutions nationwide. This data underscores a stark reality: 老九品茶 projects the federal government is on track to approve only 80,000 new student visas for international post-secondary students in full-year 2025.³ This projected volume represents the lowest intake of new international students witnessed in the past decade, signaling an unprecedented shift in Canada’s global student recruitment model.

Today, we鈥檙e breaking down the full impact of these shifts and taking a closer look at which post-secondary study levels have experienced the greatest impact. We鈥檒l also provide updated projections for 2025, compare recent study permit trends to those earlier in the year, and detail our outlook for 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 international education sector in 2026.

Post-Secondary Study Permits On Track for Decade Low

When 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 study permit caps were implemented in 2024, the government鈥檚 stated intention was to reduce 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 intake of international students by 35%.⁴ A further 10% reduction was implemented in 2025, before caps were set to .

However, the actual impact on student demand and student visa volumes has far surpassed these initial intentions. Rather than dropping by 35% in 2024, study permit approvals for new post-secondary students fell by 52%, dropping below 2018 levels. And, based on new IRCC data for the first eight months of 2025, approvals are set to decline by over 50% again this year:

We project that only 80,000 new study permits will be approved for international post-secondary students in 2025, representing a 62% decline from 2024. This decrease is caused not only by weakening student demand towards Canada, but also by a significant decline in study permit approval rates. Initial cap calculations were based on a 60% study permit approval rate, yet post-secondary approval rates reached only 37% through the first eight months of 2025.⁵

Both low application volumes and low approval rates have naturally led to a decline in the number of new study permits issued. Given that issuance is the final stage of the student visa process鈥攄enoting when a student arrives at a Canadian port of entry to begin their studies鈥攍ow issued visa volumes directly represent fewer international students arriving in Canada to begin their studies, and thus steep declines in enrolment. Although government targets anticipated a ~42% decrease in new international post-secondary students from 2023 to 2025, actual student inflows are projected to drop by 81%. If this projection is realized over the next two months, Canada will have welcomed fewer international post-secondary students in 2025 than in any non-pandemic year over the last decade.

Onshore Extensions Claim 鈪� of All Approvals and Issuances

Despite a sharp decline in new international student enrolment, overall international student populations on Canadian campuses are set to remain comparatively stable. Indeed, while new student inflows have slowed, proportionally more international students are staying in Canada, either extending their study period or enrolling in additional study programs.

This means that international students already in Canada will account for nearly two thirds of all study permit issuances in 2025:

This substantial increase in the proportion of issuances for study permit extensions is nearly inverse to other non-pandemic years. For example, in 2022, only 30% of study permits were issued to onshore students. A higher percentage of issuances to new students represents growth and stability for Canadian institutions, with graduating students replaced by new, incoming international students on campus.

However, the current trend favouring study permit extensions presents a clear risk: international student populations on Canadian campuses are set to decline substantially in the coming years. Students who receive a study permit extension are more likely to be closer to graduation, either because they extended their permit to finish their studies or because they are enrolling in post-graduation programs that tend to have shorter durations. As such, the population of international students on study permit extensions cannot remain stable without an adequate flow of new students.

As new student inflows weaken, there is an increased risk that total international student populations may decline by as much as 50% in 2026. This could create challenging financial conditions for many Canadian institutions鈥攂eyond the impacts noted by many institutions in 2025鈥攁nd fundamentally weaken the diversity of 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 student population.

Canadian Colleges Especially Impacted by Onshore Shift

Over the past year, some institutions have increased their onshore recruitment efforts in response to this changing landscape, aiming to encourage graduates to pursue further qualifications to enhance their career prospects and opportunities. Such alternative strategies are critical for the stability of many Canadian institutions, especially Canadian colleges:

Through the first eight months of 2025, Canadian universities have seen a near 50/50 split among new international students and onshore students receiving study permit issuances. However, Canadian colleges have seen a much stronger skew towards onshore, with 77% of all issued study permits going towards extensions. If this trend continues for the full year, new study permits issued for all Canadian college programs are unlikely to reach 30,000.

This represents a fundamental rebalancing of student inflows to Canadian institutions. Colleges are on pace to account for about 30% of all new Canadian study permits issued in 2025, down from 57% just two years ago. Given that recent PGWP changes have a significantly greater impact on college graduates than university grads, and given that many in-demand jobs are aligned with college level programs,⁶ it鈥檚 likely that the compound effect of Canadian government policy changes will create significant challenges in addressing labour shortages in the coming years.

Summer Study Permit Data Shows Soft Recovery

It鈥檚 worth noting that there are some signs of soft recovery for 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 beleaguered international education sector. Study permit data for the summer of 2025 shows a marked increase in study permit approval rates. While average approval rates did not surpass 30% until May of this year, approval rates in August grew to over 55%:

This increase in approval rates came in the nick of time, as the summer months are typically Canada’s busiest application period. Combining a rising approval rate during this busy season led to a notable increase in study permit approvals during the Jun鈥揂ug months. Over 35,000 new study permits were approved for international post-secondary students over these three months, compared to just over 23,000 in the five months prior. This increase was especially pronounced for Canadian universities, where August alone accounted for over one-third of the year-to-date total in new study permit approvals. For Canadian universities, this may be a sign that study permit approval rates are finally returning to IRCC target rates, making potential student flows more predictable heading into 2026.

However, for Canadian colleges, the outlook for full-year 2025 is more challenging. The summer months did show some improvement in study permit approvals, but average approval rates remained around 25%. With three-quarters of international applicants denied a study permit for Canadian college programs, PAL allocations are a major concern. Low approval rates may lead some colleges to centralize their recruitment efforts towards high conversion countries, significantly reducing on-campus diversity and further undermining 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 global image as welcoming to all students. Instead, we encourage Canadian colleges to work with collaborative partners like 老九品茶 to increase student conversion from all source countries through rigorous application screening, smart program matching, and recruitment network training.

Strategic Recalibration for a Path Forward

颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 international education sector has reached a pivotal juncture, with data from the first eight months of 2025 showing how critical it is for post-secondary institutions to recalibrate their recruitment efforts. Our projected decade-low intake of only 80,000 new international post-secondary students for the full year, coupled with unchanged 2026 student caps, confirms that 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 post-secondary sector is unlikely to achieve stability or sustainability in the coming years.

The key takeaway for institutions is the looming demographic cliff. The current reliance on onshore study permit extensions means the international student population faces a potential steep decline in 2026 and 2027, as current students graduate without sufficient new offshore students to replace them. Institutions need to actively engage on international enrolment to try to mitigate some of these declines, and they should also leverage technology solutions that reduce resource needs while providing a high-impact experience to students and recruitment teams.

This challenge is most acute for Canadian colleges. Colleges must focus resources on partners that ensure rigorous applicant screening and strong study-plan alignment to improve approval rates. Additionally, institutions need to ensure they provide continued support to their current international student populations, as leveraging word-of-mouth, online testimonials, and alumni networks will likely be necessary to attain full PAL allocation usage next year.

For all institutions, sustainability is now contingent upon a dual strategy: proactive risk mitigation and selective growth. The path forward requires moving beyond reactive management to structural adaptation. By embracing data-driven decision-making and aggressively improving applicant quality across the recruitment network, Canadian institutions can navigate this policy-constrained environment and secure a more stable, albeit smaller, international education sector.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. Study permit data is tracked based on three discrete stages: study permit submission, study permit processing, and study permit issuance. Study permit processing (approval/refusal) denotes when a final decision is made by IRCC (or CBSA) whether to accept or reject the student鈥檚 study permit application (or the student opts to withdraw their application). Study permit issuance denotes when a student arrives at a Canadian port of entry and receives their approved study permit application.

2. All data is sourced from unless otherwise noted. Most recent government data cited in this article spans January to August 2025. All figures associated with full-year 2025 are 老九品茶 projections based on Jan鈥揂ug 2025 figures and full-year trends from previous calendar years. Projections may be subject to change based on changing conditions and source data.

3. 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.

4. 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 2025 study permit caps are noted as being applicable to , rather than study permit approval figures as was used in .

5. Initial cap calculations were 鈥攙ia provincial top-ups and reallocations鈥攕hifting the projected approval rate to 53% for 2024.

6. Such as nursing, hospitality, trades, early childhood education, and supply chain management.

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The international education landscape has experienced numerous shifts over the past two years. Major policy updates and fresh economic realities are redrawing the worldwide map of student mobility. While studying abroad remains as popular as ever, these students are adopting a more strategic approach. Today鈥檚 international students exert greater agency, actively weighing costs and post-study opportunities, while also considering options beyond the most popular destinations. This generation is making informed choices that are already charting new pathways across the global learning landscape.

To understand how these students’ goals are changing amid an evolving international education sector, the team at 老九品茶 ran our seventh Student Pulse Survey in September 2025, refreshing our survey questions in collaboration with the team at the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).¹ Nearly 300 future international students shared their thoughts, detailing everything from which destinations they had in mind to which factors are most influential when choosing where to study.

Below, we’ll explore current student and advisor perceptions of top study destinations, how different program areas are capturing student interest, popular post-study plans, and more.

Canada Retains its Lead as a Popular Study Destination

Government policies in major destinations have impacted student mobility flows, and caused substantial shifts in student visa trends. Despite the impact of student caps and PGWP changes, student interest levels in Canada remained high, which boosted its lead on the US to keep the top spot. In fact, 95% of respondents were interested in Canada as a study destination, to some extent:

The most notable change in student destination preferences is that strong interest in the US declined compared to the previous three surveys. When compared to the Spring 2025 Student Pulse Survey, interest in studying in the US dropped by 9 percentage points among respondents who chose “extremely interested,” and by 1 percentage point among students who chose “very interested.” Looking back to our Fall 2024 survey, these outlooks dropped by 10 percentage points and 4 percentage points year-over-year, respectively. Given that becoming an international student can be a stressful, complex process, factors like added scrutiny on US student visa applications³ and the government’s revocation of thousands of student visas earlier this year⁴ may be shifting students’ outlook.

Comparing Student and Advisor Perceptions of Top Study Destinations’ Safety and Welcome of International Students

As government rhetoric and policies related to immigration shift, international students are paying attention. To gauge how students think they’d be treated while abroad, we asked them to rank six popular destinations on how open, safe, and welcoming they are. In our Fall 2025 Recruitment Partner Pulse Survey, we also asked international student advisors for their perspective on this topic.

Generally, students’ outlooks are more cautious than their advisors’:

In most cases, the majority of students agreed all six destinations were open, safe, and welcoming. However, only 43% of students either strongly agreed or agreed that this was true of the US, the lowest positive sentiment among the six destination options.⁵

Across the board, students were more likely to have more polarized negative feelings: the proportion of students who strongly disagreed a place was welcoming was always greater than those who only disagreed. Only a small percentage of student advisors strongly disagreed that any of the six destinations were welcoming鈥攔anging from 0.8% to 5.7%鈥攚hile the proportion of students who strongly disagreed was higher, from 9% to 18%.

By contrast, students were much more likely to agree a destination was welcoming, rather than strongly agreeing. However, high levels of strong agreement were more common among student advisors. For example, where 47% of advisors strongly agreed the UK was an open, safe, and welcoming destination, only 22% of students strongly agreed. This disparity could have many causes, from students taking in more polarized content through social media and news feeds, to personal connections with current students, to having a more cautious outlook as they’re the ones who will actually be living abroad.

Everyone involved in supporting international students, from student advisors to institutional staff and family members, should recognize the importance of checking in with students to understand any concerns they have about studying abroad. Many concerns will be valid, but it’s vital to guide students away from misinformation and provide context, as oversimplification of complex issues in short form content can also have a significant effect on students’ perspectives. Sometimes, even taking time to answer extra questions or offer a patient response can make a difference, and help future students feel more welcome. For institutions, this means ensuring there is a wealth of reliable, factual, and easy-to-understand information available to international students about your campuses, your program offerings, post-study work opportunities, and more.

Through understanding their perspective, providing fact-checked information, and advocating for international education in our spheres of influence, we can all ensure tomorrow’s leaders and innovators are well-prepared for the next step in their study journeys.

Students Increasingly Considering African and Asian Study Destinations

In a time of increased student agency, prospective students have more destination options than ever before. While most of our survey respondents were focused on institutions in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Germany, the UK, and the US, 38% were considering studies in other destinations. This proportion is up 3 percentage points compared to our Spring 2025 survey.

When respondents were asked about other destinations students they were considering, we found that more students are considering a wider range of options:⁶

Nigeria was the most popular alternative study destination, cited by 12% of survey participants. Nigerian students were also the largest survey demographic (32% of participants), so it’s possible many of these students are considering domestic and international options. However, this interest may also include other student populations who, seeing the Nigerian government’s push to develop their post-secondary sector, are considering studies closer to home.

France and New Zealand also ranked highly among alternative destinations, securing interest from 10% and 9% of students respectively, rounding out the top three destinations. Meanwhile, Finland (8%) slipped to fourth place鈥攄own from third in our Spring 2025 Student Pulse survey鈥攁nd the Netherlands and Sweden tied for fifth. The Asian destination most often cited by participants was Japan, which captured 6% of responses and tied with Norway in sixth place. Ghana was the second-most popular African destination, coming seventh with Switzerland as each captured 5% of responses.

Alongside Nigeria, Ghana’s growing international student population is shaping student flows in Africa and worldwide.

Student Interest in Business Programs Remains Strong

When asked which fields future students planned to pursue, business programs like commerce, marketing, and management remained the most popular. 40% of respondents were interested in business programs,⁷ followed by math, computer science, and IT programs (24%), then health and medical programs (22%):

While student interest levels in these program areas were fairly consistent with past results there was one significant outlier. Although engineering still attracted the fourth-highest level of student interest, the proportion of students interested in engineering (16%) was at its lowest level since we added this question to the survey in spring 2023. This shift could be driven by fewer or more limited post-study work policies that favour STEM fields in major destinations,⁸ or due to affordability concerns associated with STEM programs. We don鈥檛 anticipate that this trend will persist in 2026 but our team will monitor future surveys.

Future Students Aim for Nursing, Research, and Business Careers

When we asked students about their career plans after graduation, we saw a wide variety of goals. In this edition of the Student Pulse Survey, nursing appeared more than any other career choice. This is good news for healthcare systems worldwide, as new grads can fill staffing gaps while bringing technological savvy and innovative ideas to the organizations they work with.

Let’s take a look at students’ dream careers:

While some are reliably popular鈥攍ike business management, software engineering, and research, which along with “business” as a general field made up the five most popular career choices鈥攐ur survey results also highlight how interest is shifting in other fields. Given the current enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI), it makes sense that students plan to pursue careers in fields like IT, machine learning, and cybersecurity. Data scientists and analysts also appeared among the top 10 career choices.

Elsewhere, an uptick in interest around aviation and aerospace stood out in these fall results. From earning their pilot’s license to working with NASA, flight and space-related careers appeared in 4% of responses, versus 0.5% of responses in Spring 2025. This increased interest may be linked to growing demand for those trained in aviation. As global air fleets expand, especially in the Asia Pacific region, and current pilots and crew retire, one sector forecast predicts nearly 1.5 million new civil aviation employees will be needed by 2034.⁹ Students interested in aviation programs now could be great candidates to fill those roles after they graduate.

Over One-Third of Students Plan to Gain International Work Experience

Although post-study plans can change, it speaks to international students’ planning skills that only 6% of respondents weren’t sure where they wanted to be after graduation:

While 27% of students plan to return home immediately, 43% hope to work in their study country temporarily, leveraging programs like Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), the Graduate visa in the UK, or OPT (Optional Practical Training) in the US to build their skills and network. A further 22% hope to pursue permanent residency after graduation, while only 1% plan to move to a third destination.

Whether they plan to build a career locally or internationally, it matters to students how well institutions prepare new grads to excel. In fact, over 60% of respondents noted high graduate employment rates were a key factor when considering which program to apply to, second only to affordable tuition rates.¹⁰

Build Your International Student Strategy with 老九品茶

The Student Pulse Survey gives us a helpful look into future students’ goals, motivations, and challenges related to becoming an international student. Sending out a hearty thank you to the hundreds of students who took the time to share their thoughts!

If you’re looking for more in-depth sector analysis, stay tuned for 老九品茶’s 2026 Trends Report this November. Every year, we take a comprehensive look at how the sector is evolving鈥攁nd how your team can stay ahead of the curve.

If you’re part of an institution interested in honing your international recruitment strategy, 老九品茶’s sector insights, real-time dashboards, and global network of partners can help you reach established and emerging student audiences, driving diversity and innovation on your campus. Start a conversation with our Commercial Partnerships team today.

Taryn Graham leverages over 15 years of communications expertise from the public and private sectors in her work with 老九品茶’s Strategic Content and Thought Leadership team, spanning 老九品茶 Insights and the main blog. She also manages the biannual Student and Recruitment Partner Pulse Surveys.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. The Fall 2025 老九品茶 Student Pulse Survey ran from September 2鈥�15, 2025, and received 291 responses from individuals in 61 student markets.

2. Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

3. Makiya Seminera and Christopher L. Keller, ABC News. “.” Oct. 8, 2025.

4. Jeffrey R. Young, The Hechinger Report. “.” May 1, 2025.

5. “Disagreed” here includes students who chose “disagree” (11.3% of respondents) and “strongly disagree” (18.1%).

6. Students could share one or more destinations in their response.

7. Survey participants could choose more than one field of study.

8. Including the end of Australia鈥檚 for fields with verified skill shortages, Canadian , and recent discussions about .

9. CAE, “.” Accessed Oct. 16, 2025.

10. When answering this question, students could select up to 5 factors from a list of 10.

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Now more than ever, affordability has become one of the top concerns for international students hoping to pursue their study dreams abroad. Inflation and economic uncertainty have made nearly every aspect of day-to-day life more expensive, shifting student flows and impacting overall student mobility. That鈥檚 because for international students, tighter economic conditions impact not only costs at home, but also planned expenses such as rent, groceries, utilities, and more at their destination.

Today, we are taking a closer look at the two most significant costs for international students studying in Canada: tuition and rent. We鈥檒l look at average undergraduate and graduate tuition costs in every Canadian province, as well as dive into rental costs in major cities coast to coast. We鈥檒l also discuss what Canadian institutions can do to help international students address affordability concerns.

How Much Does Canadian Tuition Cost for International Students in 2025/26?

For most prospective international students, the cost of a study abroad program is likely the largest financial consideration they face. Many students rely on financial support from their parents or family, viewing international education as an investment in their future success and career growth. For international students studying in Canada, tuition fees can account for more than half of their annual expenses.²

On average, a four-year undergraduate program at a Canadian institution beginning in 2025/26 will cost over $177,000 in tuition alone.³ By contrast, a two-year graduate program may cost less than $50,000 in tuition.

The following chart shows how average annual tuition costs for international students in Canada have changed since 2021/22:

In 2025/26, the average tuition for international students studying at the undergraduate level nearly reached $42,000. This was a 4% increase over the previous academic year, although it was the lowest year-over-year increase since 2021/22.⁴

Postgraduate tuition rates also rose by 3% in 2025/26. While this increase was similar to the rate of change for undergraduate tuition, average yearly tuition for postgraduate programs was 42% lower than undergraduate rates. This lower rate largely reflects the difference in course loads between the two study levels, with many graduate students taking fewer courses per semester.⁵

These increases come at a time when tuition costs are becoming more important as a differentiating factor between institutions. Our Fall 2025 Recruitment Partner Pulse survey revealed that 鈥渃ost of studying鈥� remains the top priority for international students considering where to study, yet Canada is perceived as less affordable than European destinations like Germany and Ireland. This means that Canadian institutions need to highlight unique program opportunities, post-study career assistance, on-campus services, and post-graduation employment rates to clearly demonstrate the value of an international education on their campuses to prospective students.

Keep an eye out for an upcoming ApplyInsight article on our Fall 2025 Student Pulse Survey, which will provide fresh insights into prospective student opinions from around the world.

Average Tuition Cost for International Students by Province

Variances in tuition rates are influenced by a number of factors, including program length, delivery method, and type of institution. Yet the most substantial impact on tuition paid over the course of a program often arises from where a student decides to study in Canada.

Taking a closer look at Canadian tuition affordability by province, there are significant variations at both the undergrad and graduate levels:

Ontario remains the most popular provincial destination for international students, accounting for 48% of all study permit holders at the end of 2024. Although this is a five point decline from 2023, Ontario tuition rates still have a substantial impact on national averages. And, this high demand means that Ontario institutions often feature higher tuition rates due to how competitive acceptances are for in-demand programs.

Undergraduate tuition in Ontario in 2025/26 was almost 25% higher than the next most expensive province, British Columbia. Likewise, undergrad tuition for international students in Ontario was more than double that of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, PEI, and Manitoba. For price-conscious students, studying in these lower-cost provinces can make their Canadian undergraduate journey significantly more affordable.

Based on average 2025/26 tuition rates, a four-year undergraduate program in Newfoundland and Labrador would cost around $75,000. By contrast, the same program in Ontario would cost nearly $200,000.

Differences in postgraduate tuition were less pronounced, although there were some outliers. Although Ontario was the only province to exceed the national average for undergraduate and postgraduate tuition, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Ontario all surpassed the national average postgraduate tuition. On the other hand, both Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador featured postgraduate tuition under half the national average, making them the most affordable destinations for international postgraduate students in 2025/26.

Comparing provincial tuition rates for both study levels over the past five years shows that nearly all provinces have had regular average tuition increases year-over-year:

All provinces experienced increased undergraduate tuition for international students in 2025/26. At the postgraduate level, Newfoundland and Labrador鈥檚 average postgraduate tuition remained stable in 2025/26, coming in at less than 25% of average postgraduate tuition in Ontario.

As in prior years, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia showed the greatest parity in undergraduate and postgraduate tuition rates. However, they are trending in opposite directions, with increases in undergraduate tuition in Nova Scotia outpacing rising postgraduation tuition rates. By contrast, New Brunswick is trending toward higher postgraduate tuition rates than undergraduate ones by 2027/28.

How Much Does Rent Cost for International Students in Major Canadian Cities in 2025?

While tuition is typically the most substantial expense for many international students in Canada, housing costs are often close behind. This is one of the main reasons that the Canadian government increased proof of funds requirements in 2024 and 2025, to better reflect the current realities of cost of living in Canada. Despite the influence of the student cap on total international student populations, in many destination markets, especially in major urban centres.

颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 now stands at $22,895, plus first-year tuition and travel costs, to ensure students are financially prepared for success during their study abroad journey.

To understand how much international students will likely pay in rent over the course of their programs, the chart below shows the average rent for one bedroom apartments in select Canadian census metropolitan areas (CMAs) for 2025:⁶

The average rent for a one bedroom apartment in Vancouver remains much higher than other urban centres, while Toronto, Victoria, and Ottawa have become increasingly similarly priced. However, over the past year, rent in Ottawa and Victoria has largely remained stable. Meanwhile, Toronto and Vancouver both experienced a near 5% decrease in one bedroom rent since Q1 2024 due to .

Based on 2025/26 rates, an international student studying in Vancouver can expect to pay over $110,000 in rent over a full four-year undergraduate program.

In fact, rent increases from Q1 2024 to Q1 2025 were most common among smaller Canadian cities. One bedroom rent in Regina increased 10% year-over-year, with similar increases in rent occurring in Saint John. Other cities, including St. John鈥檚, Winnipeg, and Saskatoon experienced more modest 5% increases. By comparison, rent prices for similar accommodations in Calgary, Halifax, and Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge saw 5% declines year-over-year.

As with tuition rates, the Prairies and Atlantic Canada offer higher affordability in terms of average rent. The two most cost-effective CMAs are in Atlantic Canada, namely Saint John and St. John鈥檚. And, excluding the rapidly growing cities of Halifax and Calgary, monthly rents remain below $1,300 for a one bedroom apartment in all Prairie and Atlantic provinces. Quebec CMAs such as Qu茅bec City and Montr茅al also offer sub-$1,350 average rent, though Quebec is the third most expensive province for international student tuition.

In short, while rental costs have stabilized across Canada over the past year, price-sensitive students can find more affordable options by considering less populated CMAs.

What Canadian Institutions Can Do to Help Address Affordability for International Students

Student mobility towards Canada has been on the decline since the introduction of 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 student cap. We recently projected that at least 50% fewer new study permits will be approved in 2025, and study permit approval rates remain at near all-time lows. And, prospective students are increasingly facing Canadian study permit refusals due to lack of financial resources, a necessary check to best support student success in 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 ever-changing economic landscape.

Helping students prepare for and understand the financial realities of studying abroad is critical. Students need to ensure they understand the full financial picture before they embark on their study abroad journey. But tuition must also remain affordable enough that institutions can attract students from a wide variety of backgrounds and lived experiences, in a time when students have more destination choices than ever for their study abroad journey. This diversity is important not only for expanding the experiences of domestic and international students on Canadian campuses, but also for the future growth of the Canadian economy.

While study permit caps have created significant volatility for many institutions鈥� budgets and financial planning, institutions still have a major role to play in helping students understand and overcome financial challenges. Institutions need to ensure that international students have ready access to clear information about scholarships, on-campus work opportunities, and student housing options. And, institutions should ensure they are promoting the value of their programs for students鈥� life-long success, especially as price-conscious students and families consider the potential return on their investment.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. Data courtesy of . All currency in CAD.

2. Based on study permit proof of finance requirements, which require students to demonstrate they have sufficient money to pay for living expenses. As of Sep 1, 2025, the amount required per year for living expenses is $22,895.

3. Based on an estimated 4% increase in tuition costs in 2026/27, 2027/28, and 2028/29.

4. Average undergraduate tuition for international students increased by 6% in each year from 2021/22 to 2024/25.

5. Excluding professional degrees such as those in business (MBA), law, or medicine, which typically have significantly higher annual tuition rates but which account for a smaller portion of overall graduate student populations.

6. According to Statistic 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 鈥溾��, released on June 25, 2025. Off-campus accommodations only.

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颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 international education landscape has been defined by rapid and significant change over the past two years. For students, one of the most impactful shifts has been to their ability to work in Canada after graduation. Policy changes affecting 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program include the introduction of new language proficiency standards, restrictions on PGWP eligibility for graduates of public-private partnership (PPP) colleges, and new field of study requirements for non-degree programs.

These updates to the PGWP program were part of a broader government strategy to manage student inflows, which also included . Together, these moves signal a more targeted approach to international education. Now, with fewer international students entering the country and a narrower path to PGWP eligibility for many who do, the full effect of these changes is coming into view.

Due to the culmination of these policy changes, Canada is on track to approve 30% fewer post-graduation work permits in 2025 compared to 2024 levels.¹ Today, we鈥檒l break down which student populations, study levels, and fields of study have been most impacted by this PGWP downturn.

Number of PGWP Approvals Could Reach Post-Pandemic Low in 2025

Since the pandemic, January through June (H1) has often accounted for roughly half of PGWP approvals in a given year.² Based on H1 2025 trends, we鈥檙e currently forecasting that Canada will approve about 143,600 PGWPs for the full 2025 calendar year:

Canadian immigration officials approved nearly 75,000 PGWP applications during H1 2025, representing a 29% decline over H1 2024. However, this downward trend accelerated in both May and June, with approvals falling by more than 56% year-over-year in both months. If this accelerated downturn continues throughout the rest of the summer and extends into the early autumn months, PGWP approvals for the full-year could end up below 130,000, the lowest total since the pandemic.

For institutions, a sharp reduction in PGWP approvals undercuts one of 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 most important recruitment advantages. The ability to transition from study to work has long been a defining factor for students choosing Canada over other destinations. As fewer students gain access to post-graduation work opportunities, institutions may find it harder to attract applicants. This could translate into increased competition between institutions for a smaller pool of eligible students.

The broader Canadian economy also stands to feel the effects. PGWP holders have been a vital source of skilled talent in sectors facing chronic shortages, from healthcare to technology. A contraction in approvals means fewer international graduates entering the workforce, potentially destabilizing industries facing skills shortages that have come to depend on new graduates who fuel innovation and growth.

In H1 2025, 96% of PGWP applicants were approved, two percentage points lower than in H1 2024.

Colleges Account for Nearly Two in Every Three PGWP Approvals in 2025

Since the pandemic, at least 58% of PGWP approvals have gone to college students every year. In fact, this proportion has been rising yearly since 2022:

In H1 2025, over 48,000 college students were approved for a PGWP, accounting for 65% of all PGWP approvals during this time. College-level approvals had the slowest year-over-year decline (-25%), and their 97% approval rate was tied for the highest among study levels. However, this apparent resilience is likely temporary. Many of these approvals reflect students who began their studies before the new PGWP restrictions were introduced. As that cohort graduates out of the system, a steeper decline in college-level approvals is likely, especially as the new policies begin to influence student demand in upcoming intakes.

In contrast to the temporary resilience seen at the college level, the downward trend for undergraduate PGWP approvals was more pronounced. In H1 2025, nearly 6,700 PGWPs were approved for undergraduate students. This represents a 37% year-over-year decline, and brought this cohort鈥檚 share of total approvals down to 9%. This fall in volume was coupled with a lower success rate, with the approval rate for undergraduates dropping six percentage points to 89%, the lowest of any study level.

This poses a unique challenge for Canadian universities. In an environment where shorter, more vocational college programs are viewed as a faster and more certain return on investment, universities must more clearly articulate the long-term career advantages of a bachelor’s degree. Embedding practical work experiences, such as co-op programs and internships, could be crucial for demonstrating clear career pathways and ensuring undergraduate degrees remain an attractive and viable option for prospective international students.

Nearly 12,000 master鈥檚 students were approved for a PGWP in H1 2025, 31% lower than in H1 2024.

Business Students See Larger Proportion of PGWP Approvals in 2025

The overall downturn in PGWP approvals hasn鈥檛 affected all fields of study equally. Instead, it has accelerated a significant shift in market share across disciplines:

Business and management programs have emerged as the primary beneficiary of the PGWP distribution shift. In H1 2025, graduates from these programs accounted for 44% of all PGWP approvals, up five percentage points year-over-year. However, the nearly 33,000 PGWP approvals in this field still represented a 21% decline over H1 2024. This means the field鈥檚 expanded proportion of PGWP approvals is a direct result of steeper declines across other disciplines.

Nowhere are those steeper declines more evident than in key STEM and health fields. PGWP approvals for engineering graduates fell by 53% year-over-year, bringing the field鈥檚 share down to just 6%, down four percentage points over H1 2021. Computing and IT and health and general sciences also faced significant declines, with approvals for both down 31% year-over-year.

These shifts carry important implications for 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 talent pipeline. The steep drop in PGWP approvals among graduates in engineering, computing, and health fields means fewer internationally educated workers entering sectors already facing persistent labour shortages. While business and management programs now make up a larger share of approvals, the reduced flow of graduates into STEM and health-related roles could exacerbate existing skills gaps and challenge workforce planning in critical industries.

With many business programs (particularly at the college level) no longer PGWP eligible, we expect STEM fields of study will account for a larger share of PGWP approvals over the next couple of years.

PGWP Approvals, Approval Rate Down For Majority of Student Populations

Of the 20 largest international student populations by PGWP application volume, 17 saw a decline in PGWP approvals in H1 2025:

Despite the overall downturn, Indian students continued to dominate PGWP approvals, accounting for 59% of all permits issued in both H1 2024 and H1 2025. With such a large share, India plays a central role in shaping the broader PGWP trends. For example, the 29% drop in approval volume for Indian students closely aligned with the overall year-over-year decline across all applicants.

By contrast, most other large source markets recorded similar or steeper declines in both approval volume and grant rates. Chinese students, for example, saw a 30% decline in approvals and a five-point decrease in their PGWP approval rate. Filipino and Iranian students also saw significant drops in volume鈥攄own 41% and 44%, respectively鈥攄espite maintaining high success rates.

Bucking this widespread trend, three student populations posted positive growth in PGWP approvals. Students from Nepal were the standout, with approvals jumping 25% year-over-year while maintaining a stellar 99% grant rate. Nigerian and Ghanaian students also saw higher approval totals, up 4% and 8% respectively, despite lower approval rates.

These student population trends paint a picture of an evolving global landscape. While India remains a steadfast anchor of Canada’s PGWP system, the simultaneous growth from markets like Nepal, Nigeria, and Ghana is a clear indicator of where future opportunities in student mobility lie. Institutions that continue to strengthen their presence in India while also expanding outreach and support in high-potential markets will be better positioned to respond to shifting global demand.

What Comes Next for PGWP?

The PGWP contraction in H1 2025 marks a significant turning point in 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 post-study sector. For years, the program served as a key bridge between international education and successful careers in Canada, reinforcing 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 appeal in a competitive global market. But as eligibility narrows and fewer students gain access to post-graduation work opportunities, institutions and students alike are adjusting to a new reality.

This transition is already reshaping application trends, student decision-making, and institutional recruitment strategies. Fields of study and source markets that were once highly active may see further declines in future cohorts as recent policy changes ripple through the system.

In this evolving environment, institutional resilience will depend on strategic alignment, such as evaluating how program portfolios align with both student demand and 颁补苍补诲补鈥檚 labour market needs. Similarly, understanding the dynamics between established and emerging student populations will be essential for building a diverse and sustainable recruitment corridor for the years ahead. Ultimately, the institutions that thrive will be those that best help their students navigate this new complexity with clarity and purpose.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. All data courtesy of .

2. Calendar year 2022 was an outlier to this trend, where H1 accounted for only 34% of PGWP approvals for the full year. This was likely partially due to COVID-19 delaying students鈥� travel abroad plans until late 2020; fewer students beginning programs during the half of 2020 would mean there were fewer eligible students to apply for a PGWP two years later.

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