Changes in Canada's migration policy are making themselves felt: if in 2024 the number of student visas decreased by 48% compared to 2023, then in 2025 in the first half of the year alone, their number decreased by another 50%. Foreign applicants talk about frequent delays in the consideration of their applications, and the same is noted by educational agents.
In 2024, in 2 annual quarters, the services managed to process 290,000 + applications from foreign students, and in 2025 for the same period - only 143,000 +. These figures cover both new applicants and existing international students who need to extend their visas. Out of 104,980 new potential students, the migration authorities approved only 31,580 requests.
From the current statistics, experts draw the following conclusions:
- The number of foreign applications to Canadian educational centers is declining.
- The dynamics are similar with regard to the acceptance of these requests: the number of refusals is growing, and a smaller percentage of applicants receive visas.
- The number of approved applications is even lower than the limit set by IRCC for 2025.
The lag behind the targets, the outflow of foreign students and delays in the verification of applications from foreign applicants are seriously worrying representatives of the country's educational sphere.
