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Mar 18, 2026 5:19 PM - Connect Newsroom - Ramandeep Kaur with files from The Canadian Press

Canada’s population declines in late 2025 amid slowdown in non-permanent residents: StatCan

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Pedestrians walk past a university campus in Canada, as new data shows a decline in international student and temporary worker arrivals.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Canada’s population declined in the final months of 2025, driven largely by a drop in non-permanent residents, according to new estimates from Statistics Canada.

The agency reports the country’s population fell by approximately 102,000 people over the year. The decline coincides with a decrease of more than 171,000 non-permanent residents between Oct. 1, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026, including international students and temporary workers.

Statistics Canada cautioned that the figures should be interpreted carefully, noting that fluctuations in work and study permit renewals could result in larger-than-usual population changes in upcoming estimates.

Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada shows a continued slowdown in arrivals, with a 28 per cent drop in new international students and temporary workers between January 2025 and January 2026.

The federal government’s Immigration Levels Plan for 2026 outlines a further reduction in temporary residents over the next three years, following a period of rapid growth that peaked in fall 2024. Ottawa sets annual immigration targets and policy direction through this plan, which guides intake across permanent and temporary streams.

For provinces such as British Columbia and Alberta, changes in non-permanent resident levels can affect housing demand, labour supply, and post-secondary enrolment, areas closely tied to provincial planning and services.

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