The immigration ministry announces a 10% reduction in study permits for 2025, following efforts to address housing and service pressures.
January 25, 2025: Canada has announced it will issue 437,000 study permits in 2025, marking a 10% reduction from the previous year, as part of its continued effort to manage the strain on housing, healthcare, and other public services. The decision, revealed in a Friday statement by the immigration ministry, extends the cap on new international student permits introduced in 2024.
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This move follows significant population growth in recent years, largely driven by immigration, which has exacerbated a housing shortage across the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who plans to step down in March, had earlier pledged to lower immigration levels after public sentiment regarding newcomers appeared to shift, according to recent polls.
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In 2023, Canada issued over 650,000 study permits to international students, setting a record of more than one million international students in the country—three times the number from a decade ago. While this influx has provided significant financial benefits to Canadian educational institutions, thanks to the higher tuition fees paid by international students, it has also increased pressure on essential services.
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The reduction in permits comes with updated requirements. Applicants for study permits must now submit a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter, a practice implemented in 2024, confirming that they fall within the federal cap on international students. For the first time, this requirement will extend to master’s and post-doctoral students in 2025.
The government hopes that these measures will help balance the benefits of international students’ contributions to Canada’s economy with the challenges posed by rapid population growth and increasing demands on public resources.
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