Canada will allow up to only 1.5 lakh new international students to enter the country annually from 2027 until 2029, maintaining tighter control on temporary immigration while continuing to attract overseas talent. As per the country's latest Immigration Levels Plan, the decision was made to balance education opportunities, workforce requirements and ease pressure on housing and public services.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the government has set a target of 3.7 lakh new temporary resident arrivals each year during the three-year period. Of these, 1.5 lakh places have been allocated to international students, while the remaining 2.2 lakh will be available for temporary foreign workers.
The annual student target is reduction of 5,000 from the 2026 target of 1.55 lakh. However, the figure is consistent with the government's earlier projections for 2027 and 2028. Under the revised framework, international students will account for approximately 40 per cent of new temporary resident arrivals, while foreign workers will make up the remaining 60 per cent.
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The government has also established an annual temporary resident arrival range of 3.55 lakh to 3.85 lakh, allowing some flexibility in immigration planning.
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Importantly, these figures apply to new arrivals and do not include study permit extensions or applications submitted by individuals already residing in Canada.
For Indian students planning to pursue higher education in Canada, the announcement provides greater clarity about the number of international students the country intends to accommodate over the next three years.
However, the targets should not be interpreted as guaranteed admissions to Canadian colleges and universities. Prospective students must continue to meet institutional admission requirements, demonstrate sufficient financial resources and fulfil the immigration conditions applicable to their study permits.
The policy comes amid Canada's ongoing efforts to manage the growth of its temporary resident population. In recent years, the country has introduced measures to regulate international student arrivals following concerns about housing availability, infrastructure capacity and pressure on public services.
The latest immigration plan seeks to make temporary migration more predictable for educational institutions, employers and provincial governments while ensuring that new arrivals align with the country's economic requirements.
Alongside international student admissions, Canada will continue to accept 2.2 lakh new temporary foreign workers annually. Of these, 1.7 lakh places will fall under the International Mobility Program, while 50,000 will be allocated to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
The government has also maintained its permanent resident admission target at 3.8 lakh annually between 2027 and 2029.
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Economic immigration will remain the largest category, accounting for 2,44,700 permanent resident admissions each year. Family reunification will account for 81,000 admissions, while 49,300 places have been allocated to refugees and protected persons. Another 5,000 admissions will fall under humanitarian and other categories.
Canada is also planning to increase the proportion of French-speaking permanent residents settling outside Quebec. The target will rise from 9.5 per cent in 2027 to 10.5 per cent in 2028 and 12 per cent in 2029.
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