Canada records biggest drop in international student arrivals in two years

Canada has seen another month of declining international student arrivals, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) latest data.

The IRCC updated its international student numbers on Tuesday based on statistics up to Feb. 28, 2026.

According to the agency, 2,135 new international students arrived in Canada in February 2026, declining by 48 per cent compared to the same month last year. The drop increases to 75 per cent when compared to February 2024.

New student arrivals to Canada from December 2023 to February 2026 (IRCC)

"Reducing immigration in the short term is helping to alleviate pressure in the housing market, infrastructure and social services so that we can grow our economic and social prosperity in the long term," stated the IRCC.

The decrease in new international student arrivals is a part of the federal government's immigration levels plan to "restore balance, integrity and sustainability." It aims to reduce the temporary population to less than five per cent of Canada’s population by the end of 2027.

It's only going to get harder for international students to get visas to study in Canada. Last November, Ottawa revealed that one way to reach this goal is to dramatically cut the number of international student permits in half.

In 2024, the government had planned to issue 305,900 student permits in 2026 and another 305,900 in 2027. However, projected numbers will see those drop by more than half, with the government planning to reduce the number of new student permits issued to 155,000 in 2026 and 150,000 in 2027. It also plans to issue only 150,000 study permits in 2028.

Ottawa revealed how international student permits will be allocated under the new cap in December. Last year, we covered which provinces will accept the most international students in 2026.

The IRCC said that other measures that have contributed to this drop include making acceptance letter review mandatory to prevent study permit fraud and raising financial requirements.

Earlier this month, the IRCC also revealed possible changes to work permit requirements for international students.