Understanding student and temporary worker numbers in Canada
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.
About the data on this page
Information on this page is up to date as of October 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 | 95,330 | 30,330 |
| Jan-24 | 27,570 | 33,155 |
| Feb-24 | 9,245 | 42,940 |
| Mar-24 | 16,870 | 63,670 |
| Apr-24 | 45,790 | 34,720 |
| May-24 | 14,235 | 34,680 |
| Jun-24 | 11,285 | 36,010 |
| Jul-24 | 17,120 | 29,585 |
| Aug-24 | 79,760 | 26,065 |
| Sep-24 | 28,900 | 29,615 |
| Oct-24 | 6,520 | 25,255 |
| Nov-24 | 5,985 | 21,325 |
| Dec-24 | 29,845 | 16,570 |
| Jan-25 | 11,225 | 14,890 |
| Feb-25 | 4,080 | 14,380 |
| Mar-25 | 3,810 | 18,530 |
| Apr-25 | 8,525 | 23,615 |
| May-25 | 4,540 | 23,640 |
| Jun-25 | 4,165 | 23,985 |
| Jul-25 | 7,630 | 18,395 |
| Aug-25 | 45,115 | 16,775 |
| Sep-25 | 11,360 | 17,455 |
| Oct-25 | 3,030 | 14,585 |
53% fewer
arrivals to Canada between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 323,250
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 | 95,330 |
| Jan-24 | 27,570 |
| Feb-24 | 9,245 |
| Mar-24 | 16,870 |
| Apr-24 | 45,790 |
| May-24 | 14,235 |
| Jun-24 | 11,285 |
| Jul-24 | 17,120 |
| Aug-24 | 79,760 |
| Sep-24 | 28,900 |
| Oct-24 | 6,520 |
| Nov-24 | 5,985 |
| Dec-24 | 29,845 |
| Jan-25 | 11,225 |
| Feb-25 | 4,080 |
| Mar-25 | 3,810 |
| Apr-25 | 8,525 |
| May-25 | 4,540 |
| Jun-25 | 4,165 |
| Jul-25 | 7,630 |
| Aug-25 | 45,115 |
| Sep-25 | 11,360 |
| Oct-25 | 3,030 |
60% fewer
new students arrived between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 153,820
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 | 5,445 | 24,885 |
| Jan-24 | 6,525 | 26,630 |
| Feb-24 | 6,565 | 36,375 |
| Mar-24 | 7,555 | 56,115 |
| Apr-24 | 10,950 | 23,770 |
| May-24 | 10,535 | 24,145 |
| Jun-24 | 10,210 | 25,800 |
| Jul-24 | 8,465 | 21,115 |
| Aug-24 | 7,110 | 18,955 |
| Sep-24 | 7,975 | 21,640 |
| Oct-24 | 6,910 | 18,345 |
| Nov-24 | 6,040 | 15,290 |
| Dec-24 | 4,730 | 11,840 |
| Jan-25 | 3,890 | 11,000 |
| Feb-25 | 3,315 | 11,065 |
| Mar-25 | 4,790 | 13,745 |
| Apr-25 | 7,745 | 15,870 |
| May-25 | 7,465 | 16,180 |
| Jun-25 | 6,455 | 17,530 |
| Jul-25 | 5,405 | 12,990 |
| Aug-25 | 4,180 | 12,600 |
| Sep-25 | 4,075 | 13,380 |
| Oct-25 | 3,215 | 11,370 |
48% fewer
new workers arrived between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 169,435
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
484,090
in Canada as of October 31, 2025
People who only hold a study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 673,995 Jan-24 679,755 Feb-24 670,860 Mar-24 657,895 Apr-24 675,570 May-24 670,955 Jun-24 659,425 Jul-24 618,970 Aug-24 651,150 Sep-24 626,705 Oct-24 625,430 Nov-24 605,010 Dec-24 598,730 Jan-25 603,450 Feb-25 599,615 Mar-25 567,555 Apr-25 552,550 May-25 552,615 Jun-25 546,165 Jul-25 498,795 Aug-25 513,940 Sep-25 473,570 Oct-25 484,090 -
People who only hold a work permit
1,492,245
in Canada as of October 31, 2025
People who only hold a work permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 1,231,620 Jan-24 1,243,770 Feb-24 1,273,060 Mar-24 1,338,595 Apr-24 1,373,245 May-24 1,388,885 Jun-24 1,403,720 Jul-24 1,424,970 Aug-24 1,427,775 Sep-24 1,457,265 Oct-24 1,458,785 Nov-24 1,460,190 Dec-24 1,461,165 Jan-25 1,468,980 Feb-25 1,464,510 Mar-25 1,475,920 Apr-25 1,503,490 May-25 1,505,575 Jun-25 1,503,835 Jul-25 1,493,460 Aug-25 1,488,155 Sep-25 1,494,325 Oct-25 1,492,245 -
People who hold both a work and study permit
255,275
in Canada as of October 31, 2025
People who hold both a work and study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 320,845 Jan-24 343,910 Feb-24 359,950 Mar-24 346,950 Apr-24 346,070 May-24 359,955 Jun-24 373,780 Jul-24 356,270 Aug-24 368,730 Sep-24 341,070 Oct-24 354,110 Nov-24 346,375 Dec-24 329,880 Jan-25 340,225 Feb-25 348,245 Mar-25 330,760 Apr-25 309,145 May-25 309,580 Jun-25 311,455 Jul-25 285,795 Aug-25 287,320 Sep-25 251,125 Oct-25 255,275
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 October 2025, over 168,000 former temporary residents became permanent residents. This group accounted for about 49% 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
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