Archive · 28 Sep 2026
India Accounts for 31% of Canada’s International Students
Canada has many students who come from other countries to study.
At the end of 2025, there were 691,215 international students in Canada.
About one out of every three came from India.
China was the next-largest source of students.
Nigeria and the Philippines each supplied smaller but significant groups.
France accounted for 3% of the total.
The number of international students fell by 33% between 2023 and 2025.
Even after this decrease, Canada still had 11% of the world’s internationally mobile students.
The figures came from study-permit data cited by the Canadian Bureau for International Education.
India represented 31% of Canada’s 691,215 international students at the end of 2025.
China was the second-largest source, accounting for 12% of international students.
Nigeria and the Philippines each represented 5%, while France accounted for 3%.
Canada’s international student population declined by 33% between 2023 and 2025.
Despite the decline, Canada hosted 11% of the world’s internationally mobile students.
- Who
- International students, especially those from India, China, Nigeria, the Philippines and France.
- What
- India accounted for 31% of Canada’s 691,215 international students, while Canada’s total international student population fell by 33% between 2023 and 2025.
- When
- At the end of 2025, with the decline measured between 2023 and 2025.
- Where
- Canada.
- Why
- The article reports student shares and population changes but does not give a specific reason for India’s large share or the overall decline.
- Total international students
- 691,215 at the end of 2025
- India’s share
- 31%, the largest national share
- China’s share
- 12%, the second-largest national share
- Nigeria and Philippines
- 5% each
- France’s share
- 3%
- Change since 2023
- International student numbers declined by 33% between 2023 and 2025
- Global share
- Canada accounted for 11% of globally mobile international students
- Data source
- Study-permit data cited by the Canadian Bureau for International Education