International student arrivals to Canada rose sharply in August 2026, with 37,090 new study permit holders entering the country, nearly six times the number recorded in earlier months this year. However, the increase comes amid a larger decline in international student intake, with new student arrivals between January and August 2026 down 71 per cent compared with the same period in 2024.

According to data published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the country recorded 63 per cent fewer new student and worker arrivals combined during the first eight months of 2026 than in the corresponding period in 2024 when the restrictions were put in place — a reduction of 3,26,900 arrivals, since.

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August arrivals rise, but remain below 2024 levels

The August increase was significant when compared with the preceding months, but it did not reverse the longer-term decline.…