Canada Faces Deepening Decline in International Student Numbers
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Canada’s international education sector is facing a growing crisis as new figures confirm a sharper-than-expected drop in study permit approvals. The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) has warned that the situation is worsening, with early 2025 data pointing to further downturns in student visa success rates and application volumes.
In 2024, study permit issuances fell by 48% year-on-year significantly below the 35% reduction target set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as part of its cap on new international students. Only 263,610 study permits were approved, falling nearly 100,000 short of federal expectations. The result: a 4% drop in Canada’s total international student population, which stood at 997,820 at the end of 2024.
Language education has taken a particularly severe hit, with enrolment falling 15% last year. Gonzalo Peralta, executive director of Languages Canada, criticised the cap as overly aggressive, claiming it has destabilised a vital part of the education sector.
University officials have also expressed concern. Chris Busch of the University of Windsor described a “dramatic fall” in visa approval rates, suggesting hidden policy shifts may be to blame. Indian students, traditionally Canada’s largest source group, saw their approval rate plummet from 81% in January 2024 to just 28% in January 2025.
Other nations such as Algeria and Ghana reported approval rates of only 6% and 5% respectively. Meanwhile, the number of international applications dropped 35% from 2023 to 2024 across nearly all major source countries.
Vinitha Gengatharan of Simon Fraser University called for predictable and multi-year policies to restore confidence. “This should not be a retreat,” she said, adding that stable frameworks are needed to support institutions and long-term talent goals.
CBIE estimates the financial losses from these policy shifts now exceed CAD $3 billion, with over 5,000 job losses reported. Larissa Bezo, CBIE’s president, warned that Canada’s global influence and economic goals could be at risk if the trend continues unchecked.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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