Canada Sees Surge in Student Visa Approvals for 2025

Canada is witnessing a significant increase in student visa approvals for undergraduate programs in 2025, according to recent data from ApplyBoard, a Canadian educational technology company. The analysis, released on Thursday, indicates that from January to August 1, 2025, the approval rate for new student visas reached an impressive 57 percent for undergraduate applicants. This rate marks a sharp recovery following declines observed in the previous year and is comparable to figures last seen in 2022.

The data highlights a 16 percent increase in approvals compared to the entirety of 2024. Furthermore, this approval rate is markedly higher than those for other post-secondary programs, including college and postgraduate levels.

Provincial Breakdown of Approvals

The report reveals that nearly all provinces in Canada experienced an uptick in undergraduate visa approvals during the first eight months of 2025. Specifically, nine out of ten provinces reported increases compared to the full year of 2024. British Columbia and Ontario led with the highest approval rates, while Quebec and Alberta recorded the most substantial growth, with approval rates rising by 22 percent and 13 percent, respectively.

ApplyBoard’s findings suggest that this trend signifies a revitalization of study options across regions. “Atlantic Canada, for instance, saw consistent gains across Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick,” the report states. This broad improvement underscores that the bachelor’s degree is thriving within various provincial regulatory environments, enabling educational institutions to diversify their student placements with renewed confidence.

Country-Specific Approval Trends

When examining approval rates by country, ApplyBoard found that 13 of the top 20 student populations for undergraduate applicants saw improvements in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the previous year. Notably, established student populations from Indonesia, Japan, and Hong Kong maintained high approval rates above 90 percent. More encouragingly, countries that have historically faced challenges in securing approvals demonstrated notable growth.

For example, the approval rate for Nigerian students increased by 10 percentage points over the total for 2024, while students from Pakistan and Egypt also enjoyed significant gains. This upward trajectory reflects a growing acceptance of international students from diverse backgrounds.

The analysis utilized data from January to August 2025 sourced from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is important to note that this report focuses exclusively on new study permits. Historically, undergraduate level study permit applications have benefited from higher approval ratings during the initial months of the year compared to later periods.

Given this pattern, ApplyBoard cautions that full-year 2025 approval rates may still experience a modest decline. Despite this, the overall outlook for the sector appears promising, as approvals are expected to surpass those from 2024. This reinforces the university route as a reliable option for students considering their future in Canada.

This positive data emerges in the context of the Canadian government’s recent announcement regarding plans to halve international student permits as part of the 2025 federal budget. The implications of this announcement on future student visa applications remain to be seen, but the current approval rates suggest a resilient international education sector in Canada, highlighting the country’s ongoing attractiveness to prospective students worldwide.