Understanding student and temporary worker numbers in Canada
Through the 2025-2027 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.
About the data on this page
Information on this page is up to date as of August 31, 2025. Data is approximate and subject to change.
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.
| Month | Study Permit Holders | Work Permit Holders |
|---|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 95,350 | 30,340 |
| Jan-24 | 27,570 | 33,170 |
| Feb-24 | 9,245 | 42,945 |
| Mar-24 | 16,875 | 63,690 |
| Apr-24 | 45,800 | 34,730 |
| May-24 | 14,240 | 34,690 |
| Jun-24 | 11,285 | 36,020 |
| Jul-24 | 17,130 | 29,600 |
| Aug-24 | 79,795 | 26,075 |
| Sep-24 | 28,915 | 29,620 |
| Oct-24 | 6,525 | 25,265 |
| Nov-24 | 5,990 | 21,330 |
| Dec-24 | 29,850 | 16,580 |
| Jan-25 | 11,230 | 14,900 |
| Feb-25 | 4,080 | 14,390 |
| Mar-25 | 3,815 | 18,545 |
| Apr-25 | 8,535 | 23,640 |
| May-25 | 4,550 | 23,675 |
| Jun-25 | 4,180 | 24,025 |
| Jul-25 | 7,660 | 18,450 |
| Aug-25 | 45,380 | 16,890 |
278,900 fewer
arrivals to Canada between January and August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024
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 students
We introduced an annual cap on international student study permits in 2024 and announced a further 10% reduction in 2025.
Strengthened the International Student Program
We made acceptance letter review mandatory to prevent study permit fraud and raised financial requirements to better prepare students.
| Month | Number of permit holders |
|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 95,350 |
| Jan-24 | 27,570 |
| Feb-24 | 9,245 |
| Mar-24 | 16,875 |
| Apr-24 | 45,800 |
| May-24 | 14,240 |
| Jun-24 | 11,285 |
| Jul-24 | 17,130 |
| Aug-24 | 79,795 |
| Sep-24 | 28,915 |
| Oct-24 | 6,525 |
| Nov-24 | 5,990 |
| Dec-24 | 29,850 |
| Jan-25 | 11,230 |
| Feb-25 | 4,080 |
| Mar-25 | 3,815 |
| Apr-25 | 8,535 |
| May-25 | 4,550 |
| Jun-25 | 4,180 |
| Jul-25 | 7,660 |
| Aug-25 | 45,380 |
132,505 fewer
new students arrived between January and August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024
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
Canada put a 10% limit on low-wage hiring (20% in certain in-demand sectors) and stopped processing low-wage applications in urban areas with at least 6% unemployment. These rules applied to more jobs once we increased the minimum wage needed for high-wage roles.
We expect the number of work permits and extensions to go down in the months ahead to reflect the impact of the new measures.
Reformed the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP)
We tightened 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
| Month | Temporary Foreign Workers | International Mobility Program Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 5,450 | 24,890 |
| Jan-24 | 6,525 | 26,645 |
| Feb-24 | 6,565 | 36,380 |
| Mar-24 | 7,560 | 56,130 |
| Apr-24 | 10,950 | 23,775 |
| May-24 | 10,540 | 24,150 |
| Jun-24 | 10,210 | 25,805 |
| Jul-24 | 8,470 | 21,130 |
| Aug-24 | 7,115 | 18,960 |
| Sep-24 | 7,975 | 21,650 |
| Oct-24 | 6,915 | 18,355 |
| Nov-24 | 6,040 | 15,290 |
| Dec-24 | 4,730 | 11,845 |
| Jan-25 | 3,895 | 11,005 |
| Feb-25 | 3,320 | 11,070 |
| Mar-25 | 4,795 | 13,750 |
| Apr-25 | 7,750 | 15,890 |
| May-25 | 7,470 | 16,205 |
| Jun-25 | 6,470 | 17,555 |
| Jul-25 | 5,420 | 13,030 |
| Aug-25 | 4,195 | 12,695 |
146,395 fewer
new workers arrived between January and August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024
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 it 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
514,540
in Canada as of August 31, 2025
People who only hold a study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 674,030 Jan-24 679,785 Feb-24 670,885 Mar-24 657,925 Apr-24 675,615 May-24 671,000 Jun-24 659,460 Jul-24 619,015 Aug-24 651,230 Sep-24 626,810 Oct-24 625,525 Nov-24 605,115 Dec-24 598,845 Jan-25 603,575 Feb-25 599,720 Mar-25 567,675 Apr-25 552,730 May-25 552,820 Jun-25 546,370 Jul-25 499,095 Aug-25 514,540 -
People who only hold a work permit
1,489,645
in Canada as of August 31, 2025
People who only hold a work permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 1,231,155 Jan-24 1,243,285 Feb-24 1,272,535 Mar-24 1,338,055 Apr-24 1,372,690 May-24 1,388,320 Jun-24 1,403,125 Jul-24 1,424,400 Aug-24 1,427,235 Sep-24 1,456,755 Oct-24 1,458,295 Nov-24 1,459,740 Dec-24 1,460,820 Jan-25 1,468,725 Feb-25 1,464,310 Mar-25 1,475,865 Apr-25 1,503,630 May-25 1,505,895 Jun-25 1,504,465 Jul-25 1,494,510 Aug-25 1,489,645 -
People who hold both a work and study permit
287,885
in Canada as of August 31, 2025
People who hold both a work and study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 320,875 Jan-24 343,950 Feb-24 359,995 Mar-24 346,995 Apr-24 346,120 May-24 360,010 Jun-24 373,845 Jul-24 356,350 Aug-24 368,815 Sep-24 341,160 Oct-24 354,210 Nov-24 346,490 Dec-24 330,005 Jan-25 340,365 Feb-25 348,425 Mar-25 330,975 Apr-25 309,370 May-25 309,835 Jun-25 311,785 Jul-25 286,220 Aug-25 287,885
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, people who are already working, studying, and contributing to their communities, become permanent residents.
From January to August 2025, over 139,700 former temporary residents became permanent residents. This group accounted for about 50% of new permanent residents during that time.
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.
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.
Additional resources
Get detailed data
Download more detailed statistics on students and workers on the Open Government Portal.
Asylum claimants
Monthly data on asylum claimants at a border crossing, in Canada and between ports of entry.