Canada plans to cut over 50% of study permits by 2026. Learn the key reasons behind this decision and its impact on Vietnamese students.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; On November 4, the Canadian government announced a shocking plan to cut over 50% of study permits starting next year. Accordingly, the number of international students will drop from 437,000 this year to just 155,000 by 2026 - the lowest level in nearly a decade.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This news quickly became a global talking point, as Canada is the world’s second&nbsp;most popular study destination&nbsp;after the U.S. With over one million international students in 2023, the country has long been considered a “study abroad paradise” thanks to its high-quality education system and attractive immigration opportunities. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; So, why has Canada taken such a drastic step, and what does it mean for Vietnamese students planning to study in Canada?<h2>1. Context and Reasons: "Internal Pressure"</h2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the federal budget policy announced by&nbsp;Prime Minister Marc Carney, the reduction of study permits is part of Canada’s effort to “control the immigration system.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Over the past several years, the number of international students has surged at an unprecedented pace. By 2023, they accounted for&nbsp;7.5% of Canada’s population, making a significant contribution to the economy, but also putting substantial&nbsp;pressure on housing,&nbsp;healthcare, and public services.&nbsp;Finance Minister&nbsp;François-Philippe Champagne&nbsp;stated:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; "We need to ensure that the immigration system operates sustainably-supporting economic growth while protecting the quality of life for Canadians."&nbsp;In fact,&nbsp;nearly 90,000 new international students arrived in Canada during the first eight months of this year - a drop of&nbsp;60% compared to the same period last year. This is the steepest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that the government has begun to “hit the brakes” on immigration and international education policies.&nbsp;<h2>2. Concrete Figures: From Records to Tightening</h2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If Canada welcomed over 437,000 new international students in 2023, that number is expected to drop to&nbsp;around 155,000 by 2026 - a reduction of&nbsp;65%.&nbsp;According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):<ul><li>The total number of international students currently stands at around&nbsp;802,000&nbsp;- the lowest since 2021.</li></ul>&nbsp;<ul><li>Indian students&nbsp;account for&nbsp;41%,&nbsp;Chinese students&nbsp;12%, and over&nbsp;17,000 Vietnamese students are among the top 10 countries sending the most students to Canada.</li></ul>&nbsp;This sharp decline not only affects colleges but also forces many provinces, which were previously reliant on revenue from international students,&nbsp;to reconsider their recruitment strategies and housing support.&nbsp;<h2>3. The Real Reason: "Not Tightening, but Restructuring"</h2>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; According to Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, this policy is part of Canada’s effort to manage its immigration system.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In just the first eight months of this year, Canada welcomed nearly 90,000 new international students - a drop of&nbsp;60% compared to the same period last year, marking the largest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts predict that the total number of permits for the year could fall well short of&nbsp;the target of 437,000.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Last year, Canada was the world’s second-largest study destination, hosting over&nbsp;one million international students, with India accounting for 41%,&nbsp;China 12%, and over&nbsp;17,000 Vietnamese students. However, that number has now dropped to just&nbsp;802,000, the lowest since 2021.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:735/511;" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/bd/de/e2/bddee235215dd222e37182395dfa50b8.jpg" alt="Restructuring of Canada's immigration system" width="735" height="511"><figcaption>Restructuring of Canada's immigration system</figcaption></figure>This raises the question: Is Canada gradually closing the “golden door” for international students, or is it simply restructuring the system to ensure more sustainable growth in the future?From a policy perspective, Canada is not “closing the door” to international students. Instead, it is&nbsp;shifting its strategy:<ul><li>Curbing mass enrollments from&nbsp;private colleges &nbsp;</li><li>Increasing academic quality control &nbsp;</li><li>Prioritizing graduate students, those in high-demand fields, or programs in provinces facing labor shortages &nbsp;</li></ul>Notably, while reducing international student admissions, the government is still&nbsp;allocating CAD 1.7 billion&nbsp;(approximately USD 1.2 billion)&nbsp;to attract 1,000 international researchers, PhD, and postdoctoral students over the next 13 years.This indicates that Canada aims to be more selective -&nbsp;reducing quantity while&nbsp;increasing quality and focusing on long-term talent development.&nbsp;<h2>4. Who Will Be Most Affected?</h2><h3>1. Students Currently Applying</h3>Those preparing to apply for study abroad between 2025 and 2026 will be most affected:<ul><li>Study permit processing times may take longer. &nbsp;</li><li>Rejection rates could rise due to limited quotas. &nbsp;</li><li>Reputable DLIs&nbsp;(especially public institutions) will be given priority.</li></ul>&nbsp;This is also the time when the Letter of Attestation (LOA) - the document verifying enrollment quotas - becomes more important than ever.<h3>2. Students currently studying in Canada</h3>If you are studying full-time with a valid study permit,&nbsp;this policy does not directly affect you, but it may have indirect impacts on:<ul><li>Opportunities to change programs or schools &nbsp;</li><li>Future Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) policies &nbsp;</li><li>Immigration pathways (PR) that IRCC is currently reviewing&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>3.&nbsp; Impact on Vietnamese Students</h3>With over&nbsp;17,000 current international students, Vietnam is one of the Southeast Asian countries with the largest student communities in Canada.<ul><li>Applications with clear study plans and realistic career goals will have an advantage.</li></ul>&nbsp;<ul><li>Applicants choosing fields in STEM, Healthcare, Education, or Trades are more likely to be approved.</li></ul>&nbsp;Conversely, applications for private colleges or programs lacking clear career direction may face a higher risk of rejection than before.<h2>5. Impact on Canadian Schools and the Economy</h2>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Small colleges that rely heavily on international students will be severely affected. Statistics show that&nbsp;many colleges in Ontario earn&nbsp;60–70% of their revenue from international student tuition.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:736/1104;" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/22/d3/ab/22d3aba472adbf4e0d8b83de26f4b6de.jpg" alt="University of Toronto" width="736" height="1104"><figcaption>University of Toronto</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; However, large public universities such as&nbsp;Toronto,&nbsp;British Columbia,&nbsp;Waterloo, and&nbsp;Alberta&nbsp;support this restructuring policy, citing the following reasons:&nbsp;"This is an opportunity to rebuild the international education system - focusing on selecting students who are truly capable and aligned with Canada’s labor market needs."&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Canada’s economy is expected to see a short-term decline in revenue from tuition fees, but in the long term, the country aims to&nbsp;enhance the reputation of its education system,&nbsp;ensure the quality of training, and&nbsp;reduce social pressure.<h2>6. What Should International Students Do Now?</h2>LOA Portal suggests three clear courses of action for Vietnamese students:<h3>1. Prepare Your Application More Carefully Than Ever</h3>&nbsp;<ul><li>Clearly explain your study and career goals after graduation. &nbsp;</li><li>Prioritize&nbsp;public institutions (DLIs) and programs related to your immigration plan. &nbsp;</li><li>Avoid “mass applying” to multiple schools—focus on submitting one strong, well-prepared application.</li></ul>&nbsp;<h3>2. Closely Monitor Updates from IRCC từ IRCC</h3>&nbsp;<ul><li>Regulations regarding work permits, PGWP, and PR are being updated regularly. &nbsp;</li><li>Follow official sources (IRCC website or LOA Portal) to avoid misinformation. &nbsp;</li></ul><h3>3. Prepare Your Personal Competencies</h3><ul><li>Improve your English and professional skills. &nbsp;</li><li>Take advantage of co-op terms or part-time work to gain early experience - while fully complying with the law.</li></ul><h2>7. An Optimistic Perspective: Opportunities for Truly Serious Applicants</h2>Although the news of a “50% cut” may cause concern, in reality, Canada is by no means shutting its doors to international students.The country still needs quality talent in the following fields:<ul><li>Engineering and Technology (AI, Data, Engineering) &nbsp;</li><li>Healthcare and Medical Services &nbsp;</li><li>Education and Research &nbsp;</li><li>Agriculture and Renewable Energy&nbsp;</li></ul>The government aims to filter out less transparent applications&nbsp;and focus on students with clear study–work–immigration plans. For those who are truly serious, opportunities remain intact.<h2>8. Conclusion</h2>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Canada’s planned 65% cut in study permits marks a major turning point in the country’s immigration and international education policies.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; While it presents many challenges, this also serves as a reminder for international students to prepare thoroughly,&nbsp;make smart choices, and adopt a more long-term strategy.&nbsp;Remember:&nbsp;"Canada is not closing the door to studying abroad; it is simply opening a new door—reserved for those truly ready to step through."

Canada Plans to Cut Study Permits by More Than 50% by 2026

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Canada Plans to Cut Study Permits by More Than 50% by 2026

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