The federal government has confirmed that Canada will issue a maximum of 408,000 study permits in 2026 under its international student cap, as international enrolment at the U of M has declined for the third consecutive fall term.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the 2026 targets on Nov. 25, 2025, as part of the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan. Of the total permits, 155,000 are expected to be issued to newly arriving international students, while 253,000 will be issued as extensions for current and returning students. The 2026 target represents a seven per cent decrease from 2025 and a 16 per cent decrease from 2024.
The international student cap, introduced in 2024, limits the number of study permit applications accepted for processing each year. According to IRCC, the number of study permit holders in Canada declined from more than one million in January 2024 to approximately 725,000 by September 2025.
At the U of M, international student enrolment has steadily declined over recent years. The university reported 6,958 international students in the fall 2023 term, 6,675 in fall 2024, and 6,246 in fall 2025. These figures coincide with the period following the introduction of the federal cap.
For 2026, IRCC expects to issue up to 180,000 study permits to applicants who require a provincial or territorial attestation letter. Manitoba’s target under this category is 6,534 permits. The remaining permits are allocated to applicants exempt from the attestation requirement, including primary and secondary school students, certain government priority cohorts, and master’s and doctoral students enrolled at public designated learning institutions.
The federal cap has coincided with staffing reductions and program suspensions at post-secondary institutions across several provinces.
In Ontario, college unions have reported thousands of job losses following declines in international student enrolment. Multiple colleges, including Centennial College, have announced the suspension or cancellation of academic programs scheduled for 2025 and 2026.
Institutions in British Columbia and Saskatchewan have also reported enrolment declines and related budget adjustments.
The U of M has not escaped the impact of this policy. In response to lower enrolment, the university has cancelled its applied business management program and the associated courses for the fall 2025 semester. The decision affected five part-time instructors across six courses.
To account for anticipated refusal rates, IRCC has set higher application intake limits. In 2026, a total of 309,670 study permit application spaces will be available nationwide for applicants who require attestation letters. Manitoba has been allocated 11,196 application spaces under this cap. Provinces and territories are responsible for distributing their allocated spaces to designated learning institutions.
IRCC said it will continue collaborating with provinces and territories to manage the International Student Program in line with set targets while aligning with Canada’s overall immigration policies.
