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Canada visas 2025: India leads with 45.8% of 834,010 study, work permits

In the first three months of 2025, Canada approved 834,010 temporary resident applications and extensions. These included study permits, work permits, and visitor visas, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). India accounted for 382,055 or 45.8 per cent of these approvals, driven by students and skilled workers seeking opportunities in Canada's tech and healthcare sectors. 'India remains the leading source country for temporary residents,' said IRCC official on May 29, 2025. The top ten source countries for temporary residents from January to March 2025 were: Nigeria: 104,835 applications People's Republic of China: 100,890 applications Mexico: 59,305 applications Iran: 49,735 applications Philippines: 48,430 applications Ukraine: 33,110 applications Pakistan: 31,355 applications Colombia: 27,165 applications Bangladesh: 27,080 applications Many applicants are students, while others come as workers or visitors. For example, Nigeria saw a jump in applications linked to education and job prospects in Ontario and British Columbia. In the Philippines, applicants have pursued work in caregiving and hospitality. Ukraine's numbers reflect Canada's support through initiatives like the Canada-Ukraine Transitional Assistance Initiative (CUTAI). Welcoming newcomers and enforcing departures While Canada has welcomed new temporary residents, some existing temporary residents have faced removal orders or longer processing times. IRCC has said it wants to bring the temporary resident share down to 5% of the national population by 2026. That means enforcing visa rules more strictly. IRCC and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers now have the power to cancel temporary resident documents if people overstay or break visa rules. 'People need to comply with the conditions of their stay,' said a CBSA spokesperson in a statement in March. 'When permits expire or conditions are violated, removal notices are issued.' Canada's 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, announced on October 24, 2024, introduced targets for temporary resident admissions for the first time. 2025: 673,650 arrivals 2026: 516,600 arrivals 2027: 543,600 arrivals These figures do not include short-term visitors or seasonal workers but focus on work and study permit holders. IRCC has said these measures are meant to balance economic needs with concerns about housing and job markets. For international students, the government has capped study permit applications in 2025 at 10% below the 2024 figure of 606,250 applications. Post-graduation work permit eligibility has been tightened to target in-demand sectors like healthcare and skilled trades. Work permit rules for spouses of international students and workers were changed in January 2025. Now, only spouses in specific high-demand occupations can apply for an open work permit. Economic contributions and concerns International students and temporary workers support Canada's economy through tuition, living costs, and filling critical labour gaps. Tourism also benefits from visitor spending. However, high newcomer volumes have strained housing and public services. IRCC estimates the new caps will bring a 0.2% population dip in 2025 and 2026, before a rebound in 2027. The reduced growth could help ease the housing crunch—about 670,000 units by 2027. For businesses in agriculture and hospitality, the reduced flow of temporary residents has caused concerns about filling jobs. International students are also feeling the pinch as living costs rise and language requirements become tougher. Supporters of the changes say tighter controls prevent misuse and promote fairness. At the same time, IRCC plans to shift more temporary residents already in Canada to permanent status. In 2025, over 40% of permanent residency approvals are expected to come from this group.