The changes are likely to affect international students from Africa, particularly those who have viewed Canadian education as a potential route to work and eventually settle in the country.
The federal government expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits in 2026 comprising 155,000 permits for newly arriving international students and 253,000 extensions for existing and returning students. This figure is 7% below Canada’s 2025 target and 16% lower than the 2024 target.
Ottawa is also seeking to reduce Canada’s temporary population to below 5% of the country’s total population by the end of 2027, citing pressure on housing, infrastructure and public services.
Study to PR Pathway Becomes More Selective
For prospective African students, however, the more significant change is the increasing number of conditions attached to remaining in Canada after graduation.
Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) allows eligible international graduates to work in the country after completing their studies and gain Canadian experience that can support future permanent-residency applications.
The programme now has additional eligibility requirements, including language proficiency and additionally, graduates of many non-degree programmes must also have completed studies in fields linked to Canada’s labour-market needs. Graduates with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees are exempt from the field-of-study requirement.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said international students whose visas expire without obtaining permanent residency should leave Canada. “Our view is that if you come here as an international student and your visa expires and you don’t have permanent residency, you need to go home.”
She also urged students to “earn your education, then return home to build a life with it.”
Nigeria Among Canada’s Major Sources of International Students
The policy shift is particularly significant for Nigeria, which has been one of Canada’s major sources of international students. Nigeria was Canada’s fourth-largest source of study-permit holders in 2024, with 58,855 permit holders recorded as of September that year.
For Nigerian and other African students considering Canada, the changing rules mean that factors such as language proficiency, programme choice, employability and labour-market demand are becoming increasingly important.
Canada continues to offer routes from education to employment and permanent residency. But the transition is becoming more competitive and dependent on individual qualifications and Canada’s economic needs.
