Worker Arrivals in Canada Reach 10 Month High in April 2026

Despite the recent uptick, year-on-year student and worker arrival numbers have declined. This reflects the continued impact of federal measures to reduce temporary residents to under 5 percent of the overall population. Compared to the same four-month period in 2024, Canada has seen 73 percent fewer combined student and worker arrivals so far in 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Canada welcomed 21,900 new temporary workers in April 2026, the highest monthly figure since June 2025.
• Canada welcomed 4,940 new international students in April 2026, up slightly from March but down 42 percent from April 2025.
• Between January and April 2026, new student arrivals were down 84 percent compared to the same period in 2024.
• Temporary residents are transitioning to permanent residence at higher rates, with former temporary residents making up 58 percent of all new permanent residents so far in 2026.

International Student Arrivals

IRCC data shows 4,940 new study permit holders arrived in Canada in April 2026. That is more than double March’s figure of 2,080, but well below the 6,960 arrivals the country saw in January. This pattern of student arrivals aligns with school intakes: Spring intake periods typically bring a small bump in arrivals before the much larger August surge ahead of the fall semester.

Still, April 2026 numbers remain a fraction of what April used to look like: in April 2024, Canada welcomed approximately 45,785 new international students. Even in April 2025, student arrivals were 42 percent higher at 8,515.

As of April 30, 2026, approximately 423,850 people held only a study permit in Canada, down from a peak of nearly 680,000 in late 2023.

April 2026 Student Snapshot

• 4,940 new student arrivals
• 423,850 active study permit holders
• International student arrivals in April 2026 were down 42 percent compared to April 2025

The year-over-year picture is stark. Between January and April 2026, Canada admitted 84 percent fewer new international students than during the same period in 2024, a drop of roughly 83,320 people.

Here are the monthly student arrival numbers for 2026:

What Can We Expect for International Student Arrivals In 2026?

IRCC had set a target of 155,000 new student arrivals for 2026. Through the first four months, Canada has admitted just 16,115. Reaching the annual target would require a dramatic acceleration in the months ahead. However, August-September typically see the largest student arrivals, followed by a smaller spike in December, so achieving the target is still possible.

That said, Canada significantly missed its student arrival targets in 2025. The department had aimed for approximately 305,900 new international student arrivals last year; actual arrivals came in at just over 115,000.

The federal government has repeatedly stated that lower student arrival numbers are intentional. Canada’s 2026 Immigration Levels Plan set reduced targets for new temporary resident arrivals as part of its goal to bring the temporary resident population below five percent of Canada’s total population. So far, actual arrivals are running well below even those reduced targets.

New Worker Arrivals

Canada welcomed 21,900 new temporary workers in April 2026. That is the highest monthly total recorded so far in 2026 and a notable jump from March’s figure of 13,910.

Despite the increase, work permit holder arrivals remain far below where they were two years ago. In April 2024, Canada admitted approximately 34,690 new temporary workers. April 2026’s figure represents a roughly 37 percent decline from that point.

Across the first four months of 2026, new worker arrivals are down 67 percent compared to the same period in 2024, a reduction of approximately 116,015 people.

As of April 30, 2026, approximately 1,554,015 people held only a work permit in Canada. That figure has been rising gradually throughout the year, reflecting the pipeline of existing permit holders who are still in the country even as new arrivals slow.

An additional 208,085 people held both a study and a work permit at the end of April 2026.

April 2026 Worker Snapshot

• 21,900 new worker arrivals
• 1,554,015 active work permit holders
• New worker arrivals in April 2026 were down 7 percent compared to April 2025

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

Canada welcomed 6,445 workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in April 2026, up from 3,480 in March. Year-over-year, TFWP arrivals remain below April 2025’s figure of 7,735.

International Mobility Program (IMP)

Canada welcomed 15,455 workers through the International Mobility Program in April 2026, up from 10,385 in March. The IMP includes open work permit categories such as Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs), IEC Working Holiday visas, and spousal open work permits. April 2025 saw 15,845 IMP arrivals, putting April 2026 just marginally below year-ago levels for this stream.

Here are the monthly worker arrival numbers for 2026:

What Can We Expect for Temporary Worker Arrivals In 2026?

Under the 2026 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC set a target of 230,000 new worker arrivals for the year, including 60,000 through the TFWP and 170,000 through the IMP.

April’s figures show meaningful momentum compared to earlier in the year, but Canada remains well behind the pace needed to reach those targets. Between January and April 2026, new worker arrivals are down 67 percent compared to the same period in 2024. In 2025, IRCC fell short of its worker admission target. Canada admitted approximately 208,750 workers in 2025 against a target of around 367,750.

Worker arrivals do tend to pick up in spring and summer months, so it is still possible to achieve the 2026 target.

More Temporary Residents Are Becoming Permanent Residents

Even as fewer new temporary residents arrive in Canada, more of those already here are transitioning to permanent residence.

Between January and April 2026, approximately 65,140 former temporary residents became permanent residents. That accounts for 58 percent of all new permanent residents admitted during that period, the highest share on record in IRCC’s published data for this metric.

Canada also continued processing applications through the one-time In-Canada Workers Initiative, which is designed to accelerate permanent residence for 33,000 workers already living in smaller communities across the country. As of the end of April, 7,000 workers had been admitted through this initiative, putting the program at 35 percent of its 2026 target of 20,000 admissions.

What This Means for Newcomers

The April data shows that worker arrivals are holding up considerably better than student arrivals on a year-over-year basis, down just 7 percent compared to April 2025, while student arrivals remain 42 percent below where they were a year ago.

If you are currently in Canada on a temporary permit, the data reflects a system that is increasingly oriented toward the people already here. Pathways through Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) remain the primaryeconomic routes to permanent residence, and IRCC has signalled it intends to keep prioritizing in-Canada applicants in the near term.

If you are planning to come to Canada as a student or temporary worker, the reduced arrival numbers reflect real changes to eligibility and capacity, not just slower processing. Study permit caps, tighter Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility, and changes to spousal work permit access have all reshaped who qualifies and under what conditions.

This doesn’t mean you won’t qualify to come to Canada as a student or foreign worker. However, make sure your application is complete and as strong as possible to improve your chances. Also, IRCC has made it clear that there is no certainty that studying or working in Canada temporarily will necessarily open a path to permanent residence in the future. So, keep your long-term plans in mind as you evaluate your options.