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 September 30, 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 | 95,335 | 30,330 |
| Jan-24 | 27,570 | 33,160 |
| Feb-24 | 9,245 | 42,940 |
| Mar-24 | 16,870 | 63,675 |
| Apr-24 | 45,795 | 34,725 |
| May-24 | 14,240 | 34,685 |
| Jun-24 | 11,285 | 36,015 |
| Jul-24 | 17,120 | 29,590 |
| Aug-24 | 79,770 | 26,070 |
| Sep-24 | 28,910 | 29,615 |
| Oct-24 | 6,520 | 25,260 |
| Nov-24 | 5,990 | 21,330 |
| Dec-24 | 29,845 | 16,575 |
| Jan-25 | 11,225 | 14,895 |
| Feb-25 | 4,080 | 14,385 |
| Mar-25 | 3,815 | 18,535 |
| Apr-25 | 8,530 | 23,620 |
| May-25 | 4,545 | 23,655 |
| Jun-25 | 4,165 | 23,995 |
| Jul-25 | 7,635 | 18,405 |
| Aug-25 | 45,200 | 16,815 |
| Sep-25 | 11,390 | 17,515 |
53% fewer
arrivals to Canada between January and September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 308,880
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 a further 10% reduction in 2025
- 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 | 95,335 |
| Jan-24 | 27,570 |
| Feb-24 | 9,245 |
| Mar-24 | 16,870 |
| Apr-24 | 45,795 |
| May-24 | 14,240 |
| Jun-24 | 11,285 |
| Jul-24 | 17,120 |
| Aug-24 | 79,770 |
| Sep-24 | 28,910 |
| Oct-24 | 6,520 |
| Nov-24 | 5,990 |
| Dec-24 | 29,845 |
| Jan-25 | 11,225 |
| Feb-25 | 4,080 |
| Mar-25 | 3,815 |
| Apr-25 | 8,530 |
| May-25 | 4,545 |
| Jun-25 | 4,165 |
| Jul-25 | 7,635 |
| Aug-25 | 45,200 |
| Sep-25 | 11,390 |
60% fewer
new students arrived between January and September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 150,220
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 | 26,635 |
| Feb-24 | 6,565 | 36,380 |
| Mar-24 | 7,555 | 56,120 |
| Apr-24 | 10,950 | 23,770 |
| May-24 | 10,540 | 24,145 |
| Jun-24 | 10,210 | 25,800 |
| Jul-24 | 8,465 | 21,120 |
| Aug-24 | 7,110 | 18,960 |
| Sep-24 | 7,975 | 21,645 |
| Oct-24 | 6,910 | 18,350 |
| Nov-24 | 6,040 | 15,290 |
| Dec-24 | 4,730 | 11,845 |
| Jan-25 | 3,890 | 11,000 |
| Feb-25 | 3,320 | 11,065 |
| Mar-25 | 4,790 | 13,745 |
| Apr-25 | 7,745 | 15,875 |
| May-25 | 7,465 | 16,190 |
| Jun-25 | 6,455 | 17,535 |
| Jul-25 | 5,410 | 12,995 |
| Aug-25 | 4,175 | 12,635 |
| Sep-25 | 4,025 | 13,490 |
48% fewer
new workers arrived between January and September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – down 158,660
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
473,860
in Canada as of September 30, 2025
People who only hold a study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 674,010 Jan-24 679,765 Feb-24 670,870 Mar-24 657,905 Apr-24 675,590 May-24 671,980 Jun-24 659,445 Jul-24 618,990 Aug-24 651,185 Sep-24 626,755 Oct-24 625,475 Nov-24 605,050 Dec-24 598,780 Jan-25 603,500 Feb-25 599,665 Mar-25 567,615 Apr-25 552,620 May-25 552,695 Jun-25 546,255 Jul-25 499,885 Aug-25 514,135 Sep-25 473,860 -
People who only hold a work permit
1,494,900
in Canada as of September 30, 2025
People who only hold a work permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 1,231,395 Jan-24 1,243,540 Feb-24 1,272,820 Mar-24 1,338,345 Apr-24 1,372,990 May-24 1,388,625 Jun-24 1,403,440 Jul-24 1,424,700 Aug-24 1,427,520 Sep-24 1,457,020 Oct-24 1,458,555 Nov-24 1,459,980 Dec-24 1,461,000 Jan-25 1,468,840 Feb-25 1,464,380 Mar-25 1,475,830 Apr-25 1,503,460 May-25 1,505,595 Jun-25 1,504,925 Jul-25 1,493,675 Aug-25 1,488,540 Sep-25 1,494,900 -
People who hold both a work and study permit
251,300
in Canada as of September 30, 2025
People who hold both a work and study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 320,850 Jan-24 343,915 Feb-24 359,955 Mar-24 346,955 Apr-24 346,075 May-24 359,960 Jun-24 373,785 Jul-24 356,280 Aug-24 368,740 Sep-24 341,080 Oct-24 354,125 Nov-24 346,400 Dec-24 329,905 Jan-25 340,225 Feb-25 348,280 Mar-25 330,805 Apr-25 309,200 May-25 309,640 Jun-25 311,530 Jul-25 285,900 Aug-25 287,480 Sep-25 251,300
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 September 2025, over 154,000 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
Statistics on temporary workers
Get detailed data on the Open Government Portal
Statistics on international students
Get detailed data on the Open Government Portal