Canada Study Permits Drop to 691k as Refusals Hit 59%

September 19, 2026

Study Permit Refusals Hit 59% as Ottawa Shifts Priority to Universities

Canada’s active international student population has fallen to 691,215 following strict federal reforms, with new study permit refusal rates climbing to 59%.

The policy shift by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has fundamentally altered how permits are distributed across higher education sectors. Universities now account for 57% of permit holders among public post-secondary institutions, while the share held by public colleges has dropped to 39%.

Who Is Affected by the Permit Redistribution

📌 Read More

Editor’s Picks

The heightened administrative scrutiny impacts applicants and institutions unevenly across the post-secondary system:

College Applicants: Prospective international students applying to public colleges face significantly higher rejection rates as federal quotas limit diploma and certificate entries.
University Applicants: Candidates seeking undergraduate and postgraduate university degrees receive a larger proportion of the available intake under current allocation criteria.
Post-Secondary Institutions: Colleges and vocational centers face reduced international enrollment revenues, whereas research-focused universities retain a larger footprint.

Structural Metrics of the Intake Shift

The ongoing cap and integrity enforcement have altered active permit totals and approval probabilities across the country.

Metric Category	Current Figure
Total Active Study Permit Holders	691,215
University Share of Public Institutions	57%
College Share of Public Institutions	39%
New Study Permit Refusal Rate	59%

Canadian immigration lawyer Colin R. Singer noted that federal integrity rules and temporary resident reduction targets are actively reshaping who qualifies for study permits across all jurisdictions. Applicants must demonstrate full compliance with tightened financial and academic documentation requirements before submitting applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.