Canada: International Student Cap Allocation for Provinces and Territories Announced

Following the introduction of a temporary international student cap in January 2024, the government has now clarified the cap calculation and finalized allocations of the cap among Canada’s provinces and territories. The cap will keep the number of international students moving to Canada in 2024 the same as the number of students whose permits expire in 2024, creating a “net-zero” effect. This is expected to result in Canada accepting approximately 606,000 study permit applications and approving approximately 236,000 of these applications under the cap in 2024. Additionally, study permits will also be adjudicated for those who are exempt from the cap, including primary or secondary level, master’s and Ph.D. students. These permits will be distributed across Canadian provinces and territories largely based on the population share of each jurisdiction, with some other minor adjustments. Overall, there is expected to be a 28% reduction in total study permits issued under the cap from 2023. Details on the cap calculation and allocation model can be found here.