The number of international graduate students coming to Canada is growing dramatically, according to data obtained by University Affairs.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued more than twice as many new study permits to international grad students in April, May and June of 2026, compared to the same period the previous year. The figures are significant: 6,455 permits this spring, versus 3,085 in 2025.
In addition to new study visas, IRCC figures show that, in the April to June timeframe, extensions of existing grad student visas also rose sharply: from 3,935 in 2025 to 8,035 in 2026.
The jump came even as the overall number of applications fell slightly. In the second quarter of 2026, 23,480 international grad students sought a new or extended study permit. That compares to 26,820 during the same period in 2025.
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