New data obtained by University Affairs show that IRCC issued 6,455 **new** study permits to international graduate students between April and June 2026—up from just 3,085 in the same quarter of 2025. Extensions of existing graduate-level study permits climbed even faster, from 3,935 to 8,035, bringing the total number of authorised postgraduate students in Canada to a record high for the spring term. The jump comes despite a modest decline in overall applications, suggesting that universities are triaging seats toward research-based master’s and PhD candidates who help them meet federal research-funding metrics. Several factors explain the surge. First, Ottawa’s 2025-era international-student cap exempted master’s and doctoral programmes, making them a safe harbour for institutions hit by undergraduate intake limits. Second, the new 18-month open work permit that graduates receive has made Canada more attractive than peer destinations such as the United Kingdom, which re-imposed post-study work restrictions this year. Finally, provincial governments—from British Columbia to Nova Scotia—have funnelled top-up funding to graduate scholarships in high-growth sectors like clean tech and AI. For corporate mobility planners, the numbers signal a deeper talent pool in STEM and research roles. Companies that participate in campus recruiting should expect larger, more internationally diverse cohorts at graduate fairs this autumn. At the same time, the data confirm that IRCC is delivering on its promise to shift the temporary-resident mix toward applicants who are most likely to transition to permanent residency under the Express Entry system. Universities, however, warn that rapid growth raises housing and mental-health support challenges; several research-intensive schools have already booked entire hotel floors near campus to serve as overflow graduate housing. Immigration lawyers also caution students that a higher approval rate does not guarantee an easier path to PR, as competition for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) quota could tighten later in the year. For now, though, the Q2 spike underscores Canada’s post-pandemic pivot: fewer undergraduates, more advanced researchers, and a direct pipeline from the lab to the labour market. Mobility teams should prepare for an uptick in co-op requests and internship searches from this expanding graduate segment.
