Key numbers on Canadian immigration - Understanding student and temporary worker numbers in Canada
Data as of June 30, 2026
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 reducing Canada’s temporary population to less than 5% by the end of 2027.
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 responsibly.
Data is approximate and subject to change.
About the data
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 in the same way that volumes of temporary workers, students, or permanent immigrants can.
- 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.
Monthly arrivals
The graph below shows total arrivals for each month since December 2023.
| Month | Study permit holders | Work permit holders |
|---|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 95,295 | 30,315 |
| Jan-24 | 27,555 | 33,135 |
| Feb-24 | 9,240 | 42,905 |
| Mar-24 | 16,855 | 63,630 |
| Apr-24 | 45,775 | 34,685 |
| May-24 | 14,225 | 34,650 |
| Jun-24 | 11,280 | 35,980 |
| Jul-24 | 17,110 | 29,560 |
| Aug-24 | 79,675 | 26,030 |
| Sep-24 | 28,875 | 29,580 |
| Oct-24 | 6,510 | 25,215 |
| Nov-24 | 5,980 | 21,285 |
| Dec-24 | 29,815 | 16,540 |
| Jan-25 | 11,210 | 14,865 |
| Feb-25 | 4,070 | 14,355 |
| Mar-25 | 3,805 | 18,485 |
| Apr-25 | 8,510 | 23,570 |
| May-25 | 4,535 | 23,590 |
| Jun-25 | 4,155 | 23,925 |
| Jul-25 | 7,600 | 18,325 |
| Aug-25 | 44,895 | 16,710 |
| Sep-25 | 11,275 | 17,380 |
| Oct-25 | 3,005 | 14,460 |
| Nov-25 | 2,460 | 13,285 |
| Dec-25 | 9,480 | 9,675 |
| Jan-26 | 6,940 | 11,750 |
| Feb-26 | 2,135 | 10,805 |
| Mar-26 | 2,075 | 13,835 |
| Apr-26 | 4,905 | 21,810 |
| May-26 | 3,330 | 19,600 |
| Jun-26 | 3,025 | 20,330 |
Annual arrivals
The graph below shows total arrivals for each year.
| Month | Study permit holders | Work permit holders |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 292,885 | 393,205 |
| 2025 | 115,005 | 208,625 |
| 2026 (Jan-June) | 22,405 | 98,125 |
67% fewer
arrivals to Canada between January and June 2026, compared to the same period in 2024 – down 249,380
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 increases before the start of each semester, particularly in August, ahead of the fall semester.
What we’ve done
- Introducing an annual cap on international student study permits in 2024 and announced further reductions in 2025 and 2026
- Strengthened the International Student Program by making acceptance letter review mandatory to prevent study permit fraud and raising financial requirements to better prepare students
- Encouraged more master's and doctoral students to come to Canada as part of the International Talent Attraction Strategy
| Month | Number of permit holders |
|---|---|
| Dec-23 | 95,295 |
| Jan-24 | 27,555 |
| Feb-24 | 9,240 |
| Mar-24 | 16,855 |
| Apr-24 | 45,775 |
| May-24 | 14,225 |
| Jun-24 | 11,280 |
| Jul-24 | 17,110 |
| Aug-24 | 79,675 |
| Sep-24 | 28,875 |
| Oct-24 | 6,510 |
| Nov-24 | 5,980 |
| Dec-24 | 29,815 |
| Jan-25 | 11,210 |
| Feb-25 | 4,070 |
| Mar-25 | 3,805 |
| Apr-25 | 8,510 |
| May-25 | 4,535 |
| Jun-25 | 4,155 |
| Jul-25 | 7,600 |
| Aug-25 | 44,895 |
| Sep-25 | 11,275 |
| Oct-25 | 3,005 |
| Nov-25 | 2,460 |
| Dec-25 | 9,480 |
| Jan-26 | 6,940 |
| Feb-26 | 2,135 |
| Mar-26 | 2,075 |
| Apr-26 | 4,905 |
| May-26 | 3,330 |
| Jun-26 | 3,025 |
82% fewer
new student arrivals between January and June 2026, compared to the same period in 2024 – down 102,520
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 | 5,440 | 24,875 |
| Jan-24 | 6,520 | 26,615 |
| Feb-24 | 6,555 | 36,350 |
| Mar-24 | 7,545 | 56,080 |
| Apr-24 | 10,940 | 23,745 |
| May-24 | 10,525 | 24,125 |
| Jun-24 | 10,205 | 25,780 |
| Jul-24 | 8,455 | 21,105 |
| Aug-24 | 7,095 | 18,935 |
| Sep-24 | 7,960 | 21,620 |
| Oct-24 | 6,900 | 18,315 |
| Nov-24 | 6,020 | 15,265 |
| Dec-24 | 4,720 | 11,820 |
| Jan-25 | 3,885 | 10,980 |
| Feb-25 | 3,310 | 11,045 |
| Mar-25 | 4,775 | 13,710 |
| Apr-25 | 7,730 | 15,840 |
| May-25 | 7,440 | 16,150 |
| Jun-25 | 6,440 | 17,485 |
| Jul-25 | 5,390 | 12,935 |
| Aug-25 | 4,160 | 12,550 |
| Sep-25 | 4,000 | 13,380 |
| Oct-25 | 3,100 | 11,365 |
| Nov-25 | 2,535 | 10,750 |
| Dec-25 | 2,090 | 7,585 |
| Jan-26 | 2,655 | 9,095 |
| Feb-26 | 2,070 | 8,735 |
| Mar-26 | 3,480 | 10,355 |
| Apr-26 | 6,415 | 15,395 |
| May-26 | 4,585 | 15,015 |
| Jun-26 | 3,985 | 16,345 |
60% fewer
new worker arrivals between January and June 2026, compared to the same period in 2024 – down 146,865
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 a study permit at the same time?
Yes, it is possible to hold both a work and study permit at the same time. In the data shown on this page, we count these people as study permit holders.
Correction (August 20, 2026) – An earlier version of this page reported an incorrect number of people in Canada who only hold a work permit from December 2023 to June 2026. The data has now been corrected.
-
People who hold a study permit
632,535
in Canada as of June 30, 2026
People who only hold a study permit - Table
People who hold a study permit Month Number of permit holders Dec-23 994,700 Jan-24 1,023,490 Feb-24 1,030,640 Mar-24 1,004,630 Apr-24 1,021,445 May-24 1,030,725 Jun-24 1,032,990 Jul-24 975,020 Aug-24 1,019,600 Sep-24 967,440 Oct-24 979,180 Nov-24 951,030 Dec-24 928,250 Jan-25 943,220 Feb-25 947,345 Mar-25 897,770 Apr-25 861,045 May-25 861,510 Jun-25 856,920 Jul-25 783,760 Aug-25 799,805 Sep-25 722,350 Oct-25 736,435 Nov-25 718,220 Dec-25 688,125 Jan-26 692,885 Feb-26 696,470 Mar-26 659,180 Apr-26 630,875 May-26 632,260 Jun-26 632,535 -
People who only hold a work permit
1,554,470
in Canada as of June 30, 2026
People who only hold a work permit - Table
People who only hold a work permit Month Number of permit holders (TFW) Number of permit holders (IMP) Dec-23 185,935 1,047,850 Jan-24 187,860 1,058,195 Feb-24 192,330 1,083,215 Mar-24 201,445 1,139,810 Apr-24 219,235 1,156,820 May-24 233,015 1,158,875 Jun-24 244,275 1,162,615 Jul-24 250,890 1,177,300 Aug-24 255,590 1,175,420 Sep-24 259,630 1,200,815 Oct-24 260,395 1,201,490 Nov-24 259,360 1,203,825 Dec-24 233,140 1,230,925 Jan-25 233,025 1,238,715 Feb-25 231,060 1,236,090 Mar-25 238,120 1,240,220 Apr-25 253,765 1,251,850 May-25 262,285 1,245,190 Jun-25 268,435 1,236,915 Jul-25 272,380 1,222,095 Aug-25 272,970 1,215,540 Sep-25 273,995 1,219,640 Oct-25 272,675 1,217,660 Nov-25 269,645 1,219,485 Dec-25 230,185 1,231,130 Jan-26 225,740 1,252,720 Feb-26 226,465 1,263,505 Mar-26 232,880 1,275,820 Apr-26 247,000 1,304,630 May-26 249,915 1,310,005 Jun-26 252,795 1,301,675
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 (TRs), people who are already working, studying, and contributing to their communities, become permanent residents (PRs).
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.
Former temporary residents who became permanent residents
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.
| Period | Number of former TRs who became PRs | % of total new PRs during the period |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 215,090 | 44% |
| 2025 | 188,020 | 48% |
| 2026 (Jan-June) | 103,750 | 57% |
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
Additional resources
Asylum claimants
Monthly data on asylum claimants at a border crossing, in Canada and RCMP apprehensions between ports of entry
Additional resources
IRCC’s application inventory
Information on how many applications are within or exceeding our service standards, as well as how many we’ve processed
Immigration Levels Plan
Tabled each year, a forward-looking snapshot of immigration targets for the next 3 years