Canada trims 2026 study-permit quota, extends exemptions for graduate-level applicants
Canada’s new international student cap marks a decisive shift in its immigration and education framework, sharply reducing study-permit volumes and expanding exemptions for graduate applicants. While the policy aims to curb temporary-resident growth and ease pressure on housing and infrastructure, it also tightens competition for seats, reshapes institutional finances, and alters global student mobility trends.
Canada’s new international student cap marks a decisive shift in its immigration and education framework, sharply reducing study-permit volumes and expanding exemptions for graduate applicants. While the policy aims to curb temporary-resident growth and ease pressure on housing and infrastructure, it also tightens competition for seats, reshapes institutional finances, and alters global student mobility trends.
