On November 25, 2025, Canada unveiled its official provincial and territorial allocations for the 2026 international student cap, marking one of the most significant recalibrations of the International Student Program.
The announcement outlines a more targeted and restrictive framework for how many study permit applications will be accepted for processing next year, alongside newly expanded exemptions meant to attract high-value talent.
The new numbers confirm an ongoing national strategy to reduce Canada’s temporary resident population while protecting economic and academic priorities.
With temporary residents still representing a historically high share of the population, the federal government aims to bring that share below 5% by the end of 2027.
For students, educational institutions, provincial governments, and the broader Canadian labour market, the 2026 allocations provide the clearest roadmap yet for how international enrollment will evolve over the next year.
Compared to previous years, the changes lean more heavily on sustainability, quality assurance, and provincial capacity rather than rapid expansion.
This article provides a comprehensive breakdown of the 2026 targets, the new exemptions, the allocation methodology, and the expected impacts across Canada’s education and economic landscape.
For 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits.
These include both newly arriving international students and returning students applying from within Canada.
This represents a decrease from the previous year’s targets and continues the downward trend set in motion by the 2024 cap.
The 2026 national target is distributed as follows:
Please note that the targets below include 155,000 for newly arriving international students and 253,000 extensions for current and returning students.
| 2026 national target (new arrivals and in-Canada extensions) | |
|---|---|
| Master’s and doctoral students enrolling at public DLIs (PAL/TAL-exempt) | 49,000 |
| Primary and secondary school (kindergarten to grade 12) students (PAL/TAL-exempt) | 115,000 |
| Other PAL/TAL-exempt study permit applicants | 64,000 |
| PAL/TAL-required applicants | 180,000 |
| Total | 408,000 |
Compared to 2025, this number is 7% lower than the total issuance set target of 437,000.
When compared to 2024, the gap widens even further, reflecting a 16% reduction from the previous target of 485,000.
These reductions signal a continued tightening of study permit issuance while maintaining pathways for high-value academic cohorts.
The federal government has made it clear that the temporary resident population—which includes international students, temporary foreign workers, and other temporary cohorts—must be brought back to sustainable levels.
Canada had more than one million study permit holders in early 2024.
The number had dropped to about 725,000 by September 2025, but the IRCC deems further reductions necessary. Learn more about the sharp decline in international students in 2025.
IRCC highlights two key reasons for continuing to reduce study permit issuance:
While the education sector has raised concerns about financial impacts, particularly in certain provinces, the federal government maintains that unchecked growth is no longer feasible without destabilizing public systems.
The most notable policy change for 2026 is the new exemption for master’s and doctoral students.
Starting January 1, 2026, graduate-level students enrolling at public designated learning institutions will not require a Provincial Attestation Letter or Territorial Attestation Letter when applying for a study permit.
This exemption is intended to encourage stronger global competition for research-driven talent, reinforce innovation capacity within Canadian universities, and align the International Student Program with economic needs such as technology, clean energy, health sciences, and advanced research.
The following groups remain exempt from PAL or TAL requirements:
These exemptions allow provinces and territories to reserve their limited PAL or TAL spaces for regulated cohorts, while graduate-level candidates bypass that system entirely.
Canada Unveils New 2026 Study Rules.
Out of the national total, 180,000 study permits will be issued to applicants who require a PAL or TAL.
These applicants form the largest regulated cohort under the 2026 cap and represent the core of the managed portion of the student program.
The federal government has distributed these targets to provinces and territories based on their population and historical trends.
Below is the full breakdown:
| Province or territory | 2026 PAL/TAL-required study permit target |
| Ontario | 70,074 |
| Quebec | 39,474 |
| British Columbia | 24,786 |
| Alberta | 21,582 |
| Manitoba | 6,534 |
| Saskatchewan | 5,436 |
| Nova Scotia | 4,680 |
| New Brunswick | 3,726 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 2,358 |
| Prince Edward Island | 774 |
| Northwest Territories | 198 |
| Yukon | 198 |
| Nunavut | 180 |
| Total | 180,000 |
Ontario continues to receive the highest allocation, reflecting its extensive DLI network and historical enrollment levels.
British Columbia and Quebec follow, maintaining their positions as major education hubs.
Allocations represent the number of study permit applications each province can issue to meet their 2026 target.
These allocations take into account refusal rates, meaning that jurisdictions with lower approval rates receive a larger number of allocations so they can reach their issuance goals.
The 2026 allocations are as follows:
| Province or territory | 2026 application allocations |
| Ontario | 104,780 |
| Quebec | 93,069 |
| British Columbia | 32,596 |
| Alberta | 32,271 |
| Saskatchewan | 11,349 |
| Manitoba | 11,196 |
| Nova Scotia | 8,480 |
| New Brunswick | 8,004 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 5,507 |
| Prince Edward Island | 1,376 |
| Northwest Territories | 785 |
| Yukon | 257 |
| Nunavut | 0 |
| Total | 309,670 |
Ontario, being the largest province, again leads all provinces with 104,780 allocated spaces, more than four times the allocation of Alberta and significantly higher than Quebec, which has 93,069 allocated spaces.
Each province and territory is responsible for distributing these allocations to their designated learning institutions.
This means public and private colleges, universities, and specialized institutions will receive specific quotas determining how many international students they can accept.
Institutions will need to adapt to these constraints by evaluating:
Institutions with historically low approval rates and limited on-campus housing may face tighter restrictions.
Conversely, DLIs with strong compliance records could maintain relatively stable numbers.
The 2026 allocations will shape the study experience for international students in several ways.
While the cap continues to reduce overall numbers, exemptions for master’s and doctoral students help maintain Canada’s competitiveness in attracting advanced academic talent.
Key impacts include:
Undergraduate and college-focused applicants, especially those targeting private or non-research institutions, will encounter the most pressure as PAL or TAL spaces are limited and regulated.
With approval rates having dropped significantly in 2025, understanding common refusal reasons and preparing thorough applications is more critical than ever. For current processing expectations, applicants should consult the latest IRCC processing times.
Canada Unveils New 2026 Study Rules.
The new allocations are consistent with the federal immigration plan that aims to reduce temporary resident dependency while increasing economic immigration pathways.
The government emphasizes that long-term sustainability requires moderating temporary inflows while still welcoming global talent.
The focus until 2028 includes:
Graduate-level students exempted from PAL or TAL requirements align directly with these goals, positioning Canada to compete globally for talent needed in innovation-driven sectors.
For students planning their educational pathways, the list of PGWP-eligible fields of study remains an important consideration for post-graduation work opportunities.
Ontario remains the largest beneficiary of international student inflows but will face the most structural adjustments due to the vast number of private and public colleges in the province.
The province must carefully distribute its 104,780 allocations to stabilize enrollment and ensure institutional compliance.
British Columbia continues to receive substantial allocations despite implementing stricter oversight of private colleges.
With an application allocation of 32,596, BC will continue to see high demand, especially in metropolitan regions facing housing shortages.
With 93,069 allocated spaces, Quebec maintains its independent administration over acceptance letters but must still align with national limits.
Quebec’s large French-language student base is expected to remain stable under the new framework.
Both provinces receive moderate allocations and will likely emphasize student distribution to institutions that support regional labour needs, especially in health care, agriculture, and trades.
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island continue to rely heavily on international enrollment for both the local workforce and institutional funding.
Their smaller allocations will force more selective admissions strategies.
One of the primary drivers behind the international student cap is the need to ease pressures on rental markets, health services, and municipal infrastructure.
With capped growth and more predictable study permit issuance, local communities may gradually see reduced strain.
However, regions dependent on student contributions may experience mixed economic impacts, including reduced consumer spending and lower demand for campus housing.
Canada’s target to reduce temporary residents to below 5% of the total population by 2027 will require continued policy tightening, managed growth, and a shift toward permanent resident pathways that align with economic needs.
Canada’s 2026 international student allocations mark a significant evolution of the International Student Program, balancing the need to manage population pressures with the goal of attracting top-tier global talent.
With a lower national target, new exemptions for graduate-level students, and a comprehensive provincial distribution system, the 2026 approach will reshape the student landscape nationwide.
Institutions, provinces, and prospective students will all be watching closely as this new system rolls out on January 1, 2026.
These changes reflect broader shifts outlined in IRCC’s 2025-2026 departmental plan, which emphasizes sustainable immigration aligned with Canada’s infrastructure capacity.
Canada Unveils New 2026 Study Rules.
The 2026 rules introduce a lower national study permit cap of 408,000, which includes 155,000 new international students and 253,000 in-Canada extensions. The most significant change is that master’s and doctoral students at public designated learning institutions no longer require a provincial or territorial attestation letter starting January 1, 2026. Undergraduate and college applicants still fall under the PAL or TAL requirement, and this group is capped at 180,000 issued permits. Provinces and territories receive specific allocations that determine how many study permit applications they can accept for processing.
Four groups are exempt from the attestation letter requirement. These include master’s and doctoral students at public designated learning institutions, primary and secondary school students from kindergarten to grade twelve, government priority groups and vulnerable cohorts, and existing study permit holders who are extending their permit at the same institution and the same level of study. All other applicants must receive a PAL or TAL before submitting their study permit application.
IRCC assigns allocations based on each jurisdiction’s share of the national target and their average approval rates from 2024 and 2025. Higher refusal rates result in larger allocation spaces to ensure each province meets its issuance target. For 2026, Ontario receives the largest allocation with 104,780 application spaces, followed by Quebec with 93,069 and British Columbia with 32,596. These allocations represent the maximum number of PAL or TAL-required applications IRCC will accept for processing in 2026.
The federal government aims to reduce Canada’s temporary resident population to less than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027. Study permit reductions are a central part of this plan. The 2026 framework is designed to reduce pressure on housing and public services, improve regulatory compliance within the international student system, and strengthen pathways for high-skilled graduates who support Canada’s long-term labour market and innovation goals.
Gboyega Esan — RCIC R708591
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