January 2026 Starts the Year with Reduced Student and Worker Arrivals

Here is a full breakdown of the January numbers and what you should know if you’re thinking about working or studying in Canada.  

Key Takeaways:   

• There were 7,040 new student arrivals in Canada, down 37% from the same time last year
• There were 11,850 new worker arrivals, down 20% from the same time last year  
• Overall, there were 28% fewer student and worker arrivals in January than the same time last year  
• 14,000 temporary residents became permanent residents in January 2026, making up 60% of all permanent resident admissions for the month  

International Student Arrivals  

There were 7,040 new student arrivals in Canada in January. This is roughly 2,000 fewer arrivals than we saw in December 2025, ahead of the winter 2026 semester.  

It’s likely that many of the January arrivals were early in the month and just in time to start classes. Still, the number represents a 37% drop over January 2025 student arrivals.   

January 2026 Snapshot  

• 7,040 new student arrivals  
• 460,695 active study permit holders  
• International student arrivals in January 2026 were down 37% over January 2025  

Here are the monthly student arrival numbers for 2025:  

What Can We Expect For International Student Arrivals In 2026?  

The short answer is that IRCC is still moving ahead with its plan to reduce temporary resident numbers to less than 5% of the overall population by the end of 2027, and that means student numbers will keep shrinking.  

So far, it looks like IRCC could reach its low target even sooner. If we look at 2025 data, IRCC had a planned target of 305,900 international student arrivals, but only 115,385 arrived, or about 62% below the target.   

We will probably see this trend continue in 2026. This year, IRCC has planned up to 155,000 new student arrivals. So, the monthly data we see going forward could be more or less in line with the 2025 numbers, and IRCC would still reach its overall goal.   

New Worker Arrivals  

There were 11,850 new worker arrivals in Canada at the start of 2026. Compared to the same time last year, this represents a decrease of 3,035, or roughly 20%. 2,675 arrived as temporary foreign workers, and 9,175 arrived through the international mobility program.  

Breakdown by Stream  

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) 
2,675 arrivals in January 2026 
2,135 arrivals in December 2025  

International Mobility Program (IMP) 
9,175 arrivals in January 2026
7,600 arrivals in December  2025

What To Expect For New Worker Arrivals In 2026  

As with student numbers, IRCC is reducing the number of temporary workers in Canada. According to the 2026 Immigration Levels Plan, the department has set a target of 230,00 worker arrivals. This includes 60,000 through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and 170,000 through the International Mobility Program.  

Year-over-year data shows 14,880 new worker arrivals in January 2025, so we are already seeing a fairly significant reduction to start 2026.  

Again, like the student arrivals, IRCC came in short of its 2025 target of 367,750 new worker arrivals, landing at 209,105.   

The numbers indicate we will see fewer new worker arrivals than last year. IRCC is already considering measures to offset fewer arrivals, such as offering a 12-month extension for temporary foreign workers in rural areas. This means IRCC will be able to slow down on the number of permits it issues while it “rebalances Canada’s immigration system.”  

Temporary Residents to Permanent Residents  

Along with data on temporary resident arrivals, IRCC says that more than 14,000 temporary residents became permanent residents in January 2026, or approximately 60% of all new permanent resident admissions for the month.

The latest population estimate from Statistics Canada shows that Canada welcomed 83,168 permanent immigrants in the last few months of 2025, while the overall population of non-permanent residents decreased by 171,296. It’s likely that much of the decrease comes from students and workers becoming permanent residents. This is in line with a recent prediction by the Parliamentary Budget Officer that Canada’s population will remain flat throughout 2026.  

We will probably also see a slight increase in the number of temporary residents becoming permanent residents in the coming year.  IRCC has quietly begun acting on a new measure outlined in the 2026 Levels Plan. The department will help up to 33,000 temporary residents transition to permanent residents. However, it remains unclear who is being selected and which permanent residence pathway they are selected from.  

What Does This Mean For You?  

Anyone planning to work or study in Canada may find it slightly more challenging to get a permit in 2026 if they are outside the country.  

IRCC has put in place multiple measures over the past year or so to make it harder for applicants to obtain approvals. In addition to the caps in the Levels Plan, the department has tightened Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) requirements, raised the financial requirements for students, limited work permits for spouses of applicants, and no longer allows employers to use the TFWP in areas with an unemployment rate over 6%.  

This means competition is more intense, and it’s very important that you fill out your application correctly and maximize any skills that IRCC sees as in-demand in the Canadian workforce.  

The outlook might be a little sunnier for temporary residents already in Canada. IRCC has stated its objective to select permanent residents who already have roots here and are contributing to the economy. So, those who are working in in-demand professions or studying to enter those fields could find their pathway to permanent residence a little easier than most.   

Keep checking back for updates on IRCC’s temporary resident levels, permanent residence pathways and more by joining the Moving2Canada community.