Canada has released a new three-year immigration plan that will welcome more permanent economic immigrants but, at the same time, reduce the number of temporary residents, especially international students on study visas
In its latest update, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said that between 2026 and 2028, Canada aims to admit 380,000 new permanent residents each year, while cutting down the number of people coming on temporary work and study permits.
Officials say Canada has entered a “stabilisation” phase: instead of growing immigration numbers aggressively, the goal now is to match population growth with the country’s housing, healthcare and infrastructure capacity.
Fewer Study Permits in 2026
In 2026, Canada expects to issue around 408,000 study permits in total.
This number is made up of:
- 155,000 permits for new international students arriving in Canada
- 253,000 extensions for students who are already in the country and continuing their studies
This is a clear reduction compared to past years. The 2026 target is 7% lower than the 437,000 study permits targeted in 2025 and 16% lower than the 485,000 permits targeted in 2024.
These cuts are part of a wider effort to shrink Canada’s temporary resident population and make immigration more sustainable. The federal government wants temporary residents to account for less than 5% of the country’s total population by 2027.
Who No Longer Needs an Attestation Letter
From 1 January 2026, some groups of students will no longer need to submit a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) with their study permit applications.
The exemption applies to:
- Master’s and PhD students enrolled in public Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs)
- Primary and secondary school pupils (Kindergarten to Grade 12)
- Certain federal government priority groups and vulnerable individuals
- Current study permit holders who are applying to extend their permit for the same school and the same level of study
These students are considered “PAL/TAL-exempt” and are not included in the provincial and territorial PAL/TAL quota.
How the 408,000 Study Permits Are Split
For 2026, the expected 408,000 study permits are divided into different student groups as follows:
- 49,000 for master’s and doctoral students at public DLIs (PAL/TAL-exempt)
- 115,000 for primary and secondary school students (PAL/TAL-exempt)
- 64,000 for other applicants who are also exempt from PAL/TAL
- 180,000 for applicants who must have a PAL/TAL
The 180,000 PAL/TAL-required permits will be shared among provinces and territories based on their population sizes.
Provincial and Territorial Quotas for PAL/TAL-Required Study Permits
The 180,000 permits for students who still need attestation letters in 2026 are allocated as follows:
- Alberta – 21,582
- British Columbia – 24,786
- Manitoba – 6,534
- New Brunswick – 3,726
- Newfoundland and Labrador – 2,358
- Northwest Territories – 198
- Nova Scotia – 4,680
- Nunavut – 180
- Ontario – 70,074
- Prince Edward Island – 774
- Quebec – 39,474
- Saskatchewan – 5,436
- Yukon – 198
These are the maximum numbers of PAL/TAL-required study permits that each province or territory can issue in 2026.
Caps on How Many Applications IRCC Will Process
IRCC has also set limits on how many applications it will accept for processing from PAL/TAL-required students in 2026. In total, it will process up to 309,670 applications in this category.
This higher figure (compared to the 180,000 permits) reflects the fact that not all applications are approved. The caps are based on each province and territory’s past study permit approval rates between 2024 and 2025.
The application processing caps are:
- Alberta – 32,271
- British Columbia – 32,596
- Manitoba – 11,196
- New Brunswick – 8,004
- Newfoundland and Labrador – 5,507
- Northwest Territories – 785
- Nova Scotia – 8,480
- Nunavut – 0
- Ontario – 104,780
- Prince Edward Island – 1,376
- Quebec – 93,069
- Saskatchewan – 11,349
- Yukon – 257
Taken together, these changes show a clear shift in Canada’s approach: the country still wants international students and skilled newcomers, but in smaller, more controlled numbers, with stronger links to housing capacity, services and long-term planning.
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