Canada has announced plans to further reduce the number of international students entering the country at lower levels of study, while increasing its focus on attracting highly skilled students pursuing master’s and PhD programmes.
The Canadian government said the shift is part of a broader effort to align immigration levels with the capacity of communities while continuing to attract highly skilled talent from around the world.
According to the latest figures released by the government, Canada’s international student population has fallen by one-third since 2024.
The decline has accelerated in 2026, with 82 per cent fewer new international student arrivals recorded between January and June 2026 compared with the same period in 2024.
Despite the overall reduction in international student admissions, the share of new students entering universities has increased relative to those enrolling in colleges.
