Making Sense of Canadian Study Permit Data

As Canada's international education data landscape has shifted, so have the questions institutions are asking. Policy changes, new reporting categories, and more have made it harder to interpret what any single data point actually means for your institution.

Below are four of the most common questions we hear from partners about Canadian study permit data.

Why does Capio's data sometimes differ from mine?

If you've compared your internal numbers to Capio's and noticed discrepancies, you're not alone. Data sets sourced from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) carry some natural degree of variance, and a few common factors explain most of the gaps.

One is rounding. IRCC data is often published in rounded figures, while other data sets may have unrounded values. This produces what looks like a mismatch but is actually a difference in precision. Another common source of discrepancy involves the distinction between study permit approvals and permits issued (more on that below). It’s important to ensure the data being compared is as apples-to-apples as possible.

But by far the most frequent gap is due to study level inclusion. Capio's data sets are sorted by designated learning institution (DLI). Thus, primary and secondary (K-12) study permits are excluded from our figures by default. If you have received data from other sources it may include all study levels, if so, the totals will not match.

Where does Capio source its Canadian data from?

Capio data comes from a mix of sources, and what we refer to varies depending on the metric in question. Publicly available and privately sourced government data form the foundation of most of our study permit volume and approval rate reporting. The privately sourced government data sets allow us more granular visibility into the latest international student trends. We also incorporate first-party proprietary data from Capio's platform, which offers us a different perspective on conversion patterns that government data alone cannot capture.

Should I be looking at study permit approvals or study permits issued?

This depends on the questions you’re looking to answer.

Approval data is a leading indicator. Because approvals precede issuances, they give institutions an early read on what incoming international student populations might look like over the next one to two years. If you're trying to anticipate recruitment demand or adjust program planning ahead of an enrolment cycle, approvals are a more useful lens.

The issued data reflects the permits that students have actually received and acted on. As such, this data is a closer proxy for new enrolment trends and provides clearer visibility into which student populations are actively beginning their studies. Keep in mind that within any given time period, you will likely see a mismatch between approvals and issuances. This is due to the natural time lag between a student being approved and traveling to have the permit issued, as well as natural attrition from students who are approved but ultimately do not travel. 

Study permit holders' data rounds out the picture. Rather than tracking the flow of new students, it captures the total number of international students currently onshore at a given point in time, making it the broadest measure of overall enrolment and student retention.

Why is there so much focus on study permit extensions lately?

The increased focus on study permit extensions reflects a real shift in Canada’s international student landscape. Since the implementation of Canada's international student caps in 2024, study permit extensions—which are issued to students already in Canada—have begun to represent a far larger share of total permit issuances than at any recent point in history. In 2025, extensions accounted for 71% of all post-secondary study permits issued.

The key concern here is one of long-term sustainability. Visa extensions outnumbering new visa issuances risk the sustainability of Canada's education sector. Students who are already onshore will eventually complete their programs and move on. Without a steady flow of new students entering to take their place, institutions face a structural gap that will impact planning cycles, funding models, and student services, which are all built around continuous intake.

Still have questions? Reach out to our team.

The questions above cover some of the most common points of confusion we hear from partners, but Canadian study permit data is layered. Your institution’s situation may raise questions specific to your programs, your student populations, or your province or territory. Our team is here to help you work through the data and understand what it means for your recruitment and planning strategy. Get in touch with us.