The Canadian government has announced a major change under Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Plan for international students, i.e., the number of student admissions will be cut by half in 2026.
These changes come from the Immigration Levels Plan 2026–2028, which sets targets for how many temporary residents, including international students, can come to Canada.
The plan explains how many people will be allowed to come as permanent or temporary residents each year, and gives an idea of what the numbers will look like in the following two years.
Below are the key points international students should know from the new plan.
Less Competition For Students Already In Canada
Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Plan for international students has sharply reduced the number of new international students who can arrive in the next few years.
| Year | Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028 (Current target published 2025) | Immigration Levels Plan 2025-2027 (Previous target published 2024) |
| 2026 | 155,000 | 305,900 |
| 2027 | 150,000 | 305,900 |
| 2028 | 150,000 | — |
For students who are already in Canada, this can actually be a good thing. With fewer new students arriving, there will be less competition for entry-level jobs and for permanent residence (PR) programs.
After finishing their studies, many students apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Well, it is a special work permit that lets them gain Canadian work experience. This experience helps them qualify for programs like the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), which leads to PR.
Since fewer new students will come in, the number of PGWP holders will drop in a few years. This means those who already have work permits might find it easier to get jobs and qualify for PR later.
At the same time, the government’s focus on economic immigration and stable PR targets gives an advantage to people already living and working in Canada.
In short, fewer new arrivals can mean better chances for those who are already here.
Canada Still Focusing On In-Canada Applicants For PR
The new plan highlights that economic immigration remains Canada’s top priority. In 2026, economic programs will make up about 64% of total PR admissions.
The plan also notes that targets for temporary and permanent residents are being set together, with a clear goal, i.e., to help people already in Canada move to permanent status, especially those who have needed skills and experience.
Under the Federal High Skilled category, there will be 109,000 admissions in 2026, and this number will rise slightly to 111,000 in 2027 and 2028.
This includes the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), which requires at least one year of Canadian work experience.
This is good news for international students who can gain work experience through PGWPs and later apply for PR through CEC.
Higher PNP Targets Are A Good Sign For Students
The government is also increasing targets for the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) by 66% in 2026, compared to the 2025 targets.
PNPs are very important for international students because many of these programs have special streams for people who have graduated from a college or university in that province.
With more PNP spaces available in 2026, provinces will likely get more nomination spots. This could help restart programs that were paused in 2025 and allow provinces to nominate more candidates.
For instance, British Columbia had paused the launch of three new student streams earlier this year because it was waiting for new allocation numbers. With more nominations expected in 2026, the province may start these student programs again.
International Students Still A Major Part Of Temporary Admissions
Even though the government is cutting overall numbers, international students will still make up a large share of temporary resident admissions.
Temporary Resident Admissions 2026–2028
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | |
| Workers under TFWP and IMP | 230,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 |
| Students | 155,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
| Total projected admissions | 385,000 | 370,000 | 370,000 |
According to the plan, international students will make up about 40% of total temporary residents in 2026, 2027, and 2028.
This group includes workers under both the International Mobility Program (IMP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
However, this is a small drop from 2025, when students made up around 45% of the total temporary resident target.
Lower Targets Match The Current Trend
The number of new international students allowed in 2026 will be almost half of what was planned earlier.
That means the government expects about 155,000 new students to arrive in 2026.
This could mean fewer study permits issued next year, and stricter limits on how many study permit applications Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will process.
Although this seems like a big cut, it matches what is already happening this year.
Due to recent policy changes, Canada is already behind on its 2025 student targets. From January to August 2025, only 89,430 new study permits were issued, i.e., about 30% of the total target of 305,900.
This shows that the 2026 plan is more realistic and closer to what is actually happening.
If the trend continues, and a similar number of students are admitted in 2026, that would be about 57% of the target by the end of August 2026.
New Study Permit Exemptions
IRCC has also announced a few positive updates for graduate-level students.
Starting January 1, 2026, students pursuing Master’s or doctoral degrees will be exempt from the study permit cap.
This means it will be easier for these students to get study permits. In addition, IRCC will offer faster processing times for doctoral students and their families. In some cases, they could get their documents in as little as two weeks.
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