Canada implements caps on international student visas

Canada’s international student program is facing significant challenges, including reports of overcrowded housing, student exploitation by landlords and employers, and links to rising gang crime. The program has seen massive growth in temporary residents, peaking in 2023 when Canada’s population increased by nearly 1.3 million, with two-thirds driven by temporary residents. In that year, the number of post-secondary international students reached 833,000.

In response to these pressures, the Trudeau government imposed caps on international study permits in 2024, with further reductions announced for 2025. The Carney government subsequently cut international student targets in November 2025. Critics argue that the fundamental issue is that study permits have transitioned from educational tools into primary pathways for work and permanent residency, a shift resulting from federal policy changes initiated in the early 2000s.