Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued a statement outlining the methodology behind the allocation of study permits to each Canadian province for the year 2024
After the announcement on January 22 regarding the department’s decision to impose a cap on the processing of study permit applications annually, IRCC further explained that each province would be assigned a quota of study permits to issue to international students. The allocation of permits to each province would be determined based on the province’s population.
Today, Immigration Minister Marc Miller provided clarity on IRCC’s methodology for determining these figures and disclosed the final allocation of study permits for each province.
How the allocation is distributed
Provinces and territories were assigned their allotment of study permit applications based on their respective populations.
IRCC acknowledges that without adjustments, this system would result in some provinces and territories seeing an increase in international students for 2024 compared to 2023, while others would experience a decrease.
To mitigate any adverse effects, IRCC adjusted allocations for provinces receiving fewer study permits, ensuring a more balanced distribution. Provinces expected to accommodate more international students in 2024 than in 2023 had their allocations capped at 10% of their population.
Additionally, the department supplemented allocations for provinces with an approval rate below 60%, aiding them in reaching their projected number of approved study permits
Ontario receives the largest allocation
Ontario leads with the largest allocation of study permits at 235,000, reflecting its status as Canada’s most populous province. Notably, 96% of this allocation is designated for public universities and colleges, leaving few slots for private institutions.
Quebec follows with an allocation of 117,917 study permits after adjustments for population and approved permits.
In March, British Columbia announced its allocation of 83,000 study permits, evenly distributed between public and private institutions.
Despite being home to 11.67% of Canada’s population, Alberta’s allocation was capped at 10%, resulting in 40,894 study permits overall.
Nova Scotia initially reported 12,900 study permit allocations, but IRCC’s latest data reveals a top-up of 7,472 permits, bringing the total allocation to 20,378 study permits
