The Ontario government says it will continue directing international student spaces toward programs that prepare graduates for in-demand jobs, following a further federal reduction in study permits for 2026.
Ontario has been allocated 104,780 Provincial Attestation Letters, translating to a cap of 70,074 international study permits for postsecondary institutions. The province says that represents a 42 per cent decrease from 2025 and marks the third consecutive year of reductions.
Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Minister Nolan Quinn said the province remains focused on building a highly skilled workforce to support economic growth.
Publicly assisted colleges and universities will receive 96 per cent of Ontario’s allocations, with the remainder going to language schools, private universities and other institutions. Graduate students at publicly assisted institutions will no longer require attestation letters but will still count toward the provincial cap.
Ontario says it will again allow institutions to voluntarily return unused letters midyear and highlighted nearly $1 billion in Budget 2025 investments to expand seats in priority programs such as construction, health care, education and STEM.
