What international students need to know about Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028

The federal government has announced that it will be cutting the number of international student admissions by half in 2026.

The changes were revealed in the Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028 which has set targets for the arrivals of temporary residents, which includes international students.

The Immigration Levels Plan outlines the number of permanent and temporary resident admissions in the next year, along with notional targets for the following two years.

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Here are some takeaways from the most recent announcement that international students need to know.

Less competition for those already inside Canada

Canada’s latest Immigration Levels Plan sharply reduces targets for new international student arrivals across 2026–2028.

Year	Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028 (Current target published 2025)	Immigration Levels Plan 2025-2027 (previous target published 2024)
2026	155,000	305,900
2027	150,000	305,900
2028	150,000	---

For students already in Canada, this could ease competition for entry-level jobs and pathways to permanent residence (PR).

Gaining work experience after completing a study program, through a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)—a special work permit specifically for international graduates of Canadian schools—is a key method by which international students build eligibility for PR programs, like the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Due to the reduced admissions target for international students, PGWP issuances will be reduced in two to four years' time (once these new students graduate), meaning that PGWP holders in that time frame may see less competition for both jobs and PR pathways.

Simultaneously, stable federal economic admissions and provincial nominations allocations are positive for in-Canada candidates as they have a clear advantage over those not in the country.

In short, lower inflows can translate into stronger competitive positioning for those already in Canada.

Canada is still prioritizing in-Canada applicants for PR

The latest Plan reiterates the importance of economic immigration, with economic streams accounting for 64% of total PR admissions in 2026.

According to the plan, “Targets for temporary and permanent residents have also been developed in tandem, with a focus on transitioning to permanent residence those who are already in Canada with needed skills and experience.”

The admissions under the Federal High Skilled category are 109,000 in 2026, rising to 111,000 in both 2027 and 2028. This includes CEC, which requires candidates to have at least one year of Canadian work experience to be eligible.

This direction is positive for candidates already in Canada, including international students who can become eligible for a PGWP and can gain the Canadian work experience needed to qualify for CEC.

A boost to Provincial Nominee Programs is good for international students

The federal government has increased admission targets under the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) by 66% in 2026, as compared to 2025 targets.

PNPs are a key pathway for many international students to transition to PRs. Many PNPs also have dedicated streams for candidates who have graduated from higher education institutions within the province.

With PNP admissions increasing in 2026, it stands to reason that provinces will have more nomination slots in 2026. This could give provinces the ability to restart streams that have been paused in 2025 and nominate more candidates.

For example, earlier this year, British Columbia announced that it would not launch three new student streams until its provincial allocation levels are set. It seems probable that an increased allocation will lead to the launch of BC’s immigration streams for international student graduates in 2026.

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International student admissions are still a big proportion of temporary resident admissions

Despite the slashed temporary resident targets over the next few years, international students still make up a big proportion of total temporary resident admissions.

Temporary Resident Admissions 2026-2028

	2026	2027	2028
Workers under TFWP and IMP	230,000	220,000	220,000
Students	155,000	150,000	150,000
Total projected admissions	385,000	370,000	370,000

As per the latest Plan, international students will be approximately 40% of all the new temporary resident admissions in 2026, 2027, and 2028.

This includes both workers admitted through the International Mobility Program (IMP) and through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

That being said, the proportion is a slight reduction from 2025, when students made up 45% of the temporary resident admission targets.

Slashed immigration targets are in keeping with current trends

According to the new Plan, admission targets for new international students are almost half of what they were in the previous Plan for 2026.

That means that the government plans to admit approximately 155,000 new international students into the country next year.

This may translate to fewer new study permits being issued over the course of 2026, and a tighter cap on the number of study permit applications that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will process in the year, in comparison to 2025.

While this may seem like a drastic reduction, the numbers are in line with current trends over the year.

Due to the policy changes introduced by the federal government over the last years, Canada is on track to fall short of its targets for international student admissions in 2025.

As a matter of fact, from January through August, the government issued only 89,430 new study permits, achieving only about 30% of its annual target (set during last year’s Immigration Levels Plan) of 305,900 in seven months of the year.

In comparison, the latest Plan’s international student targets better reflect current admissions.

For context, if we see a similar number of international student admissions in 2026 as we’ve seen in 2025, it would have been 57% of the total target set for 2026 by the end of August.

New study permit exemptions

Last week, IRCC also announced that it would exempt Master’s and doctoral degree students from Canada’s study permit cap starting January 1, 2026.

This will make it easier for those pursuing these degrees to access study permits. IRCC also announced expedited processing times for doctoral degree students and their accompanying family members, allowing them to receive documents in as little as two weeks.

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