The Toronto Star: Canada Will Reduce International Student Permits by More Than Half, Budget Reveals

Partner Rick Lamanna shares insights in The Toronto Star on Canada’s 2025 federal budget, which introduces major reductions to temporary resident and study permit admissions while maintaining strong permanent immigration levels.

The federal government’s new plan reduces the number of international student permits by more than half—from a previous target of 305,900 to 150,000—and caps temporary residents at five per cent of Canada’s population. The measures, aimed at stabilizing the immigration system, mark a significant shift in national policy.

Rick highlights the ways these changes reflect the country’s effort to balance temporary and permanent immigration streams, noting that the reduction—particularly among international students—enables the country to still maintain significant pathways to permanent residency for individuals already contributing to communities and the larger economy.

Fragomen continues to advise on Canadian immigration policy and workforce mobility strategies as the government pursues reforms to balance temporary and permanent migration.

Read more here.