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New Canada Study Permit Allocations For 2025 Revealed By IRCC

January 24, 2025
11:48 am

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Last Updated On 24 January 2025, 11:26 AM EST (Toronto Time)

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially announced adjustments to the influx of international students for 2025.

This comes following a year of strategic policy changes aimed at managing the impacts of international student populations on Canadian resources like housing and healthcare.

This article delves deep into the implications of these changes, exploring what it means for students, institutions, and the broader Canadian community.

For 2025, the cap has been officially set to issue 437,000 study permits, marking a 10% decrease from the previous year’s allocation.

In 2024, IRCC introduced a cap on international students‘ applications, reducing international student numbers by around 40%.

This measure was not only to manage the strain on public services but also to ensure that educational standards are maintained amidst growing numbers.

Here’s how the numbers break down:

2025 national target
Study permits issued to graduate degree students	73,282
Study permits issued to kindergarten to grade 12 applicants (PAL/TAL-exempt)	72,200
Study permits issued to all other PAL/TAL-exempt applicants	48,524
Study permits issued to remaining PAL/TAL-required cohorts	242,994
Total	437,000

Each province and territory has received specific allocations based on past performance and expected needs:

Ontario: With the highest allocation, Ontario is set to issue 116,740 permits to students requiring PAL/TAL, reflecting its large educational infrastructure.

British Columbia: Known for its attractive educational institutions, BC will see 53,589 permits issued.

Quebec: With a significant French-speaking student population, Quebec’s allocation stands at 72,977.

Province or territory	Expected study permits – Graduate degree students	Expected study permits – Remaining PAL/TAL-required cohorts	Expected number of study permits to be issued to all PAL/TAL-required cohorts
Alberta	3,887	28,773	32,660
British Columbia	20,053	33,536	53,589
Manitoba	1,224	8,797	10,021
New Brunswick	1,400	5,030	6,430
Newfoundland and Labrador	1,456	3,208	4,664
Northwest Territories	0	220	220
Nova Scotia	1,954	6,343	8,297
Nunavut	0	220	220
Ontario	21,841	94,899	116,740
Prince Edward Island	205	1,045	1,250
Quebec	19,683	53,294	72,977
Saskatchewan	1,578	7,291	8,869
Yukon	1	338	339
Total	73,282	242,994	316,276

These numbers are not just statistics; they represent a strategic shift towards sustainable growth in the international student sector.

The utmost number of applications that will be processed from each jurisdiction for students who are required to submit a PAL/TAL with their permit application is known as allocations.

These allocations should result in the targeted number of permits being issued for regulated cohorts, as determined by the average approval rate for each province and territory in 2023 and 2024:

Province or Territory	Allocations for Graduate Students	Allocations for All Other PAL/TAL-Required Students	Total Allocations
Alberta	5,256	42,082	47,338
British Columbia	28,333	47,754	76,087
Manitoba	1,980	16,611	18,591
New Brunswick	3,112	11,673	14,785
Newfoundland and Labrador	2,648	6,534	9,182
Northwest Territories	0	705	705
Nova Scotia	4,191	14,411	18,602
Nunavut	0	0	0
Ontario	32,579	149,011	181,590
Prince Edward Island	391	2,044	2,435
Quebec	38,786	123,956	162,742
Saskatchewan	2,791	14,850	17,641
Yukon	1	463	464
Total	120,068	430,094	550,162

Starting in 2025, the requirement for a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) extends to master’s and doctoral students.

However, certain groups remain exempt, including:

Primary and secondary school students.
Specific government priority groups.
Students extending their study permits at the same institution and level.

For Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs), these changes mean rigorous compliance with new regulations regarding student reporting and verification of letters of acceptance.

Non-compliance could lead to suspension, significantly impacting an institution’s ability to attract international talent.

The policy has elicited mixed reactions:

Students and Prospective Applicants: There’s concern about the competitive nature of securing a permit to study, potentially deterring international talent.

Local Communities: Some relief is felt regarding public services, but there’s worry about economic impacts due to reduced student spending.

Educational Sectors: Institutions are adapting by focusing on quality over quantity, emphasizing the sustainable growth of international education programs.

The cap on international students for 2025 represents a significant policy shift by the Canadian government, aiming for a balanced approach to immigration, education, and resource management.

This move could redefine how the country is seen as an educational destination, with long-term implications for both domestic policy and global educational exchanges.

As the year progresses, everyone will be closely monitoring how these changes manifest in practical situations, impacting students, institutions, and communities nationwide.