Key numbers on Canadian immigration - Understanding student and temporary worker numbers in Canada
Data as of February 28, 2026
Through the Immigration Levels Plan, we’re making our immigration system more responsive to the needs of the country. This includes reducing the number of students and temporary workers coming to Canada to help ease pressures on housing, infrastructure, and services.
We have committed to returning immigration to sustainable levels, including reducing Canada's temporary population to less than 5%.
The data below provides a snapshot of current volumes of international students and temporary foreign workers in Canada, as part of our broader effort to manage migration to Canada sustainably.
Data is approximate and subject to change.
About the data
Please note that in the tables on this page, all values between 0 and 5 are shown as “--”. In the graphs, all values between 0 and 5 will be visualized as zero. This is done to prevent individuals from being identified when data is compiled and compared to other publicly available statistics. All other values are rounded to the closest multiple of 5 for the same reason; as a result of rounding, the data may not sum to the totals indicated.
New student and worker arrivals to Canada
The number of new students and workers arriving to Canada is declining—a clear sign that the measures we’ve put in place are working.
This downward trend reflects our commitment to a well-managed and sustainable immigration system.
How we count arrivals
We count arrivals based on the number of people issued study or work permits in that month. If someone was issued both a study and a work permit in the same month, they will be counted under the study permit group.
Some groups aren’t included in the data. The student and worker arrivals excludes:
- asylum claimants
- People who claim asylum in Canada are seeking protection under international law. These claims are not part of planned immigration levels and volumes cannot be directly controlled
- permit extensions
- People who apply to extend their stay are already in Canada. They’re not new arrivals. Counting extensions would inflate the numbers without reflecting new pressures on housing or services.
- seasonal agricultural workers
- These workers are highly targeted and tied to immediate labour shortages, often in rural or remote areas. These workers come for a short period, tend to live in employer-provided housing, and are critical to food supply.
- workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program who are in Canada for 270 days or less, where the
start and end dates fall within the same calendar year
- These workers meet immediate labour needs, often in industries like tourism or construction.
Monthly arrivals
The graph below shows total arrivals for each month since December 2023.
| Month | Study permit holders | Work permit holders |
|---|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 95,305 | 30,320 |
| Jan-24 | 27,565 | 33,140 |
| Feb-24 | 9,240 | 42,915 |
| Mar-24 | 16,860 | 63,650 |
| Apr-24 | 45,785 | 34,695 |
| May-24 | 14,225 | 34,665 |
| Jun-24 | 11,280 | 35,995 |
| Jul-24 | 17,110 | 29,570 |
| Aug-24 | 79,720 | 26,040 |
| Sep-24 | 28,885 | 29,595 |
| Oct-24 | 6,515 | 25,230 |
| Nov-24 | 5,980 | 21,300 |
| Dec-24 | 29,825 | 16,555 |
| Jan-25 | 11,215 | 14,880 |
| Feb-25 | 4,075 | 14,365 |
| Mar-25 | 3,810 | 18,505 |
| Apr-25 | 8,520 | 23,590 |
| May-25 | 4,535 | 23,615 |
| Jun-25 | 4,155 | 23,955 |
| Jul-25 | 7,615 | 18,360 |
| Aug-25 | 44,985 | 16,730 |
| Sep-25 | 11,305 | 17,410 |
| Oct-25 | 3,010 | 14,485 |
| Nov-25 | 2,465 | 13,305 |
| Dec-25 | 9,575 | 9,705 |
| Jan-26 | 7,010 | 11,805 |
| Feb-26 | 2,135 | 10,375 |
Annual arrivals
The graph below shows total arrivals for each year.
| Month | Study permit holders | Work permit holders |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 292,990 | 393,350 |
| 2025 | 115,270 | 208,900 |
| Jan. to Feb. 2026 | 9,140 | 22,180 |
72% fewer
arrivals to Canada between January and February 2026 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 81,540
International students in Canada
We’re reducing the number of international students coming to Canada to a sustainable level.
You’ll notice seasonal changes in the data for study permits, with big increases in December and August each year. That’s because most study permits are issued before the start of the fall and winter semesters.
What we’ve done
- Capped international student numbers by introducing an annual cap on international student study permits in 2024 and announcing further reductions in 2025 and 2026
- Strengthened the International Student Program by making acceptance letter review mandatory to prevent study permit fraud and raising financial requirements to better prepare students
- Planned further reductions in new student arrivals to Canada for 2026-2028 as part of the Immigration Levels Plan
| Month | Number of permit holders |
|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 95,305 |
| Jan-24 | 27,565 |
| Feb-24 | 9,240 |
| Mar-24 | 16,860 |
| Apr-24 | 45,785 |
| May-24 | 14,225 |
| Jun-24 | 11,280 |
| Jul-24 | 17,110 |
| Aug-24 | 79,720 |
| Sep-24 | 28,885 |
| Oct-24 | 6,515 |
| Nov-24 | 5,980 |
| Dec-24 | 29,825 |
| Jan-25 | 11,215 |
| Feb-25 | 4,075 |
| Mar-25 | 3,810 |
| Apr-25 | 8,520 |
| May-25 | 4,535 |
| Jun-25 | 4,155 |
| Jul-25 | 7,615 |
| Aug-25 | 44,985 |
| Sep-25 | 11,305 |
| Oct-25 | 3,010 |
| Nov-25 | 2,465 |
| Dec-25 | 9,575 |
| Jan-26 | 7,010 |
| Feb-26 | 2,135 |
75% fewer
new student arrivals between January and February 2026, compared to the same period in 2024 – down 27,665.
Temporary workers in Canada
As Canada’s economy evolves, it’s important that we focus on providing job opportunities to those who are already in Canada, including newcomers.
What we’ve done
- Updated the Temporary Foreign Worker Program by putting a 10% limit on low-wage hiring (20% in certain in-demand sectors) and stopped processing low-wage applications in census metropolitan areas with at least 6% unemployment. These rules applied to more jobs once we increased the minimum wage needed for high-wage roles.
- Reformed the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP) by tightening eligibility requirements for the PGWP to better align the program with immigration goals and labour market needs.
- Limited work permits for spouses of temporary residents by tightening work permit eligibility for spouses of international students and temporary foreign workers.
- Accelerated permanent residence for select temporary skilled workers who are already working in Canada in in-demand sectors.
- Planned further reductions in new worker arrivals to Canada for 2026-2028 as part of the Immigration Levels Plan.
| Month | Temporary Foreign Workers | International Mobility Program Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 5,440 | 24,880 |
| Jan-24 | 6,520 | 26,615 |
| Feb-24 | 6,560 | 36,360 |
| Mar-24 | 7,550 | 56,095 |
| Apr-24 | 10,940 | 23,755 |
| May-24 | 10,525 | 24,140 |
| Jun-24 | 10,205 | 25,785 |
| Jul-24 | 8,465 | 21,110 |
| Aug-24 | 7,100 | 18,940 |
| Sep-24 | 7,960 | 21,630 |
| Oct-24 | 6,905 | 18,330 |
| Nov-24 | 6,030 | 15,275 |
| Dec-24 | 4,725 | 11,830 |
| Jan-25 | 3,890 | 10,990 |
| Feb-25 | 3,310 | 11,055 |
| Mar-25 | 4,785 | 13,720 |
| Apr-25 | 7,735 | 15,855 |
| May-25 | 7,450 | 16,165 |
| Jun-25 | 6,450 | 17,505 |
| Jul-25 | 5,400 | 12,960 |
| Aug-25 | 4,160 | 12,570 |
| Sep-25 | 4,000 | 13,410 |
| Oct-25 | 3,100 | 11,385 |
| Nov-25 | 2,535 | 10,765 |
| Dec-25 | 2,090 | 7,610 |
| Jan-26 | 2,670 | 9,140 |
| Feb-26 | 2,045 | 8,330 |
71% fewer
new worker arrivals between January and February 2026, compared to the same period in 2024 – down 53,875.
Total number of students and temporary workers in Canada
The charts below show the total number of students and temporary workers currently in Canada and how that number has changed over time.
While we have committed to reducing the number of temporary residents in Canada, it will take time for the full effects to appear in the data. That’s because inventories of existing applications continue to be processed under the rules that were in place when they were submitted.
As a result, more significant effects of the new measures will only start to appear a few months after they begin.
These totals do not include asylum claimants, protected persons or related groups who may hold a study or work permit. Numbers reflect data from the last day of each month.
Can someone hold a work and study permit at the same time?
Yes, it is possible to hold both a work and study permit at the same time. For example, international students with a co-op element of their program need a separate work permit to work in Canada.
-
People who only hold a study permit
453,505
in Canada as of February 28, 2026
People who only hold a study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 673,910 Jan-24 679,680 Feb-24 670,800 Mar-24 657,820 Apr-24 675,480 May-24 670,860 Jun-24 659,335 Jul-24 618,870 Aug-24 651,015 Sep-24 626,545 Oct-24 625,270 Nov-24 604,845 Dec-24 598,540 Jan-25 603,260 Feb-25 599,445 Mar-25 567,365 Apr-25 552,320 May-25 552,365 Jun-25 545,905 Jul-25 498,530 Aug-25 513,495 Sep-25 472,645 Oct-25 482,905 Nov-25 475,175 Dec-25 460,565 Jan-26 460,220 Feb-26 453,505 -
People who only hold a work permit
1,492,935
in Canada as of February 28, 2026
People who only hold a work permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 1,232,760 Jan-24 1,244,955 Feb-24 1,274,315 Mar-24 1,339,915 Apr-24 1,374,565 May-24 1,390,270 Jun-24 1,405,165 Jul-24 1,426,440 Aug-24 1,429,220 Sep-24 1,458,660 Oct-24 1,460,105 Nov-24 1,461,435 Dec-24 1,462,345 Jan-25 1,470,050 Feb-25 1,465,510 Mar-25 1,476,750 Apr-25 1,504,125 May-25 1,506,060 Jun-25 1,504,040 Jul-25 1,493,340 Aug-25 1,487,590 Sep-25 1,493,005 Oct-25 1,490,040 Nov-25 1,489,250 Dec-25 1,462,005 Jan-26 1,480,470 Feb-26 1,492,935 -
People who hold both a work and study permit
245,005
in Canada as of February 28, 2026
People who hold both a work and study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 320,815 Jan-24 343,870 Feb-24 359,890 Mar-24 346,900 Apr-24 346,030 May-24 359,910 Jun-24 373,720 Jul-24 356,210 Aug-24 368,660 Sep-24 340,995 Oct-24 354,010 Nov-24 346,260 Dec-24 329,755 Jan-25 340,070 Feb-25 348,040 Mar-25 330,545 Apr-25 308,920 May-25 309,350 Jun-25 311,185 Jul-25 285,470 Aug-25 286,760 Sep-25 250,405 Oct-25 254,405 Nov-25 244,165 Dec-25 229,025 Jan-26 234,415 Feb-26 245,005
Helping temporary residents stay and contribute long term
Canada’s immigration system is evolving to support long-term economic growth while achieving sustainable immigration levels. That’s why we’re helping more temporary residents (TRs), people who are already working, studying, and contributing to their communities, become permanent residents (PRs).
They are well-integrated, as they usually have a Canadian education, Canadian work experience and strong skills in one or both official languages. Most of them apply for permanent residence through economic programs like Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program, which are designed to select people who meet Canada’s labour market and regional priorities.
Former temporary residents who became permanent residents
By building on the contributions of those already here, Canada can continue to attract the best and brightest from around the world, while easing pressures on infrastructure, housing and services.
| Period | Number of former TRs who became PRs | % of total new PRs during the period |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 215,090 | 44% |
| 2025 | 188,020 | 48% |
| January to February 2026 | 31,860 | 60% |
Accelerating permanent residence for select workers
The one-time In-Canada Workers Initiative is accelerating permanent residence for 33,000 workers who are already contributing to Canadian communities in in-demand sectors, with a particular focus on those living in smaller communities.
In 2026, we plan to admit at least 20,000 workers as permanent residents through this initiative. The remaining will be admitted in 2027.
Who we’re admitting
We’re focusing on workers who
- have been living in smaller communities in Canada for at least 2 years; and
- have applied for permanent residence through the following programs:
Additional resources
Statistics on temporary workers
Get detailed data on the Open Government Portal
Statistics on international students
Get detailed data on the Open Government Portal
Additional resources
Asylum claimants
Monthly data on asylum claimants at a border crossing, in Canada and RCMP apprehensions between ports of entry
Additional resources
IRCC’s application inventory
Information on how many applications are within or exceeding our service standards, as well as how many we’ve processed
Additional resources
Immigration Levels Plan
Each year, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tables the Immigration Levels Plan, a forward-looking snapshot of immigration targets for the next three years