Canada sets 2025 study permit cap at 473,000, 10% lower than last year: Full breakdown of provincial allocations

For years, Canada has remained one of the top destinations for higher education and employment among international students, especially Indians. However, in recent years, the country has witnessed an unprecedented surge in international student enrollments, placing immense pressure on its education and immigration systems. This has prompted Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to introduce stricter policies to regulate student admissions. According to Statistics Canada, there were over one million valid study visas as of April 2024. Below is a list showing the growth of international students in Canada from 2019 to 2023:

Year	Study Permits
2019	6,37,780
2020	5,27,195
2021	6,16,585
2022	8,04,370
2023	10,40,985

Canada’s 2025 Study Permit Cap

In September 2024, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced a cap on study permit applications to ease pressure on housing, healthcare, and other essential services. This measure led to a 40% reduction in international student arrivals and helped stabilize rental markets in high-demand areas. Building on these changes, IRCC has now finalized provincial and territorial study permit allocations for 2025.
For 2025, IRCC plans to issue 437,000 study permits, marking a 10% decrease from the 2024 cap of 485,000. Most applicants will now be required to submit a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or a Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL)—documents that confirm compliance with study permit caps set by provinces and territories. Notably, IRCC has extended this requirement to master’s and doctoral students, as per its official website.

Who Is Exempt from Submitting a PAL or TAL?

The following groups remain exempt from submitting a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL):

Primary and secondary students (Kindergarten to Grade 12).
Certain Government of Canada priority groups and vulnerable cohorts.
Existing study permit holders applying for an extension at the same Designated Learning Institution (DLI) and same level of study.

Provincial and Territorial Allocations for Study Permits

The following breakdown represents the national study permit allocation for 2025:

Study permits issued to graduate degree students	73,282
Study permits issued to kindergarten to Grade 12 applications (PAL/TAL-exempt)	72,200
Study permit issued to all other PAL/TAL0 exempt applicants	48,525
Study permits issued to remaining PAL/TAL-required cohorts	242,994
Total	437,000

According to the official website, out of the 437,000 study permits expected to be issued in 2025, 120,724 will be allocated to PAL/TAL-exempt students, while 316,267 will be issued to students required to submit a PAL or TAL.

Breakdown of the 2025 Study Permit Target for PAL/TAL-Required Cohorts by Province or Territory

Province or territory	Expected study permits- Graduate degree students	Expected study permits – Remaining PAL/TAL- required cohorts	Expected number of study permits to be issued to all PAL/TAL required cohorts
Alberta	3,887	28,773	32,660
British Columbia	20,053	33,536	53,489
Manitoba	1,224	8,797	10,021
New Brunswick	1,400	5,030	6,430
Newfoundland and Labrador	1,456	3,208	4,664
Northwest Territories	0	220	220
Nova Scotia	1,954	6,343	8,297
Nunavut	0	220	220
Ontario	21,841	94,899	116,740
Prince Edward Island	205	1,045	1,250
Quebec	19,683	53,294	72,977
Saskatchewan	1,578	7,291	8,869
Yukon	1	338	339
Total	73,282	242,994	316,276

Allocations represent the maximum number of study permit applications that will be processed per jurisdiction for students requiring a PAL or TAL. Based on the average approval rates from 2023 and 2024, these limits are designed to meet the targeted study permit issuance for capped cohorts.
For more information, students are advised to visit the official website of the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), or can click here.