Immigration numbers for students and workers decline in 2025

by Michael Scott

The number of temporary residents inside Canada is decreasing in a significant way. The concern raised before the last election was that too many newcomer arrivals were creating significant problems in Canada. Critics rightly questioned the numbers of arrivals, the shortage of living accommodations, costs for infrastructure and health as indicators of an unhealthy economy. The liberal government addressed the issues, replaced Prime Minister Trudeau with Mark Carney and rebounded at the polls. The current government is challenged on the question of tariffs by the USA and the world economy, but immigration continues to be an issue. What has happened in the last year to housing, infrastructure and health challenges?

The first change from 2024 is in newcomer arrivals. The numbers have gone down significantly in the first six months of the year. In the period between January and June 2025 Canada welcomed 88,617 fewer international students and 125,000 fewer international foreign workers compared to the same period in 2024. The drop yielded a decrease of 214,520 fewer student and worker arrivals over the first six months of each year reflecting the measures introduced by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to control arrivals.

The decrease in arrivals was especially evident in the fall of student permit holders. The newcomer arrivals show that the department has focused on reducing study permit arrivals with 80 per cent of arrivals coming into Canada with work permits, an increase from the 70 per cent number who arrived in 2024. The percentage does not tell the whole story. In 2024, the number of study permit arrivals was 20,839 compared to 6,020 in 2025. The work permit arrivals also saw a major decrease from 40,825 arrivals in 2024 down to 19,872 in 2025.

Another indicator of the change in numbers of arrivals can be seen in the population of temporary residents. The number of study permit holders totalled 679,887 in January 2024 compared to 546,562 in 2025. Work permit holders are increasing in number while study permit holders are decreasing. The changes in population must also consider the outmigration of student and worker permit holders. In 2024 temporary residents comprised 5.93 per cent of the total population but this number were decreased to 5.69 per cent in 2025. Since a significant number of former study permit holders graduate and apply for a PGWP (post graduate work permit), this will help explain why worker numbers increase while study numbers decrease. The country has still taken measures to curb new arrivals. Total numbers of temporary resident increased 169,281 from January to June 2024 but decreased by 25,910 from June to December 2024 and a further 49,706 from January to June 2025. The percentage change in temporary resident population increased by 7.47 per cent in January to June 2024 and then decreased 1.89 per cent in June to December 2024 and a further 2.06 per cent in January to June 2025.

Since the last election the Liberal government under Carney have taken steps to curb the number of immigrant arrivals to Canada. In terms of study permit arrivals, the government has capped the number of study permit applications, raised the cost-of-living requirements for study permit applications and increased eligibility requirements. For work permits the changes included: a moratorium on the processing of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) under the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Market Program (TFWP) in regions with an unemployment rate of six per cent or higher; an increase in the wage requirements for the high wage stream; removal of COVID era provisions for change in work permits; updated guidance for Intra-Company transfers; ban on flag poling, preventing same-day processing of applications at ports of entry; establishing multiyear targets under TFWP beginning in 2025; restricting eligibility of Spousal Open Work Permits foreign students; and SOWP eligibility for spouses of temporary foreign workers.

The temporary foreign workers are now part of the estimates for immigration. The plan, introduced on October 24, 2024, is to lower temporary residents to five per cent from the previous seven per cent. The temporary resident numbers do not include asylum claimants; permit extensions; seasonal workers; nor short term temporary foreign workers. It is anticipated that the government will maintain the current practices as it lowers temporary resident numbers in Canada and decreases the demand for more housing, infrastructure improvement and health care costs. The immediate challenges are to stabilize the economy and resist the pressures of US tariffs. Canada is moving to restore balance in the economy and remain competitive in the world. In the short run immigration will continue to be controlled and take a back seat to global competitiveness and US pressure.

Michael Scott is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC, R525678) who has 30 years of experience with Immigration Canada and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. He currently works as a licensed consultant with Immigration Connexion International Ltd. Contact him at 204-691-1166 or 204-227-0292. E-mail: mscott.ici@gmail.com.