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In late 2024, the Canadian federal government introduced reforms to its immigration policy, mainly aimed at addressing pressures on housing, healthcare, and other services. This brief will introduce and address the three main elements of the reform that most affect international students. These are the new cap on study permits, the narrowing of academic fields eligible for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP), and the requirement to demonstrate a minimum language proficiency. These three changes started applying to those who enrolled after 1 November 2024. The national cap on study permits will reduce the number of new international students admitted to 437 000 in 2025, a significant drop from over 650 000 in 2023. This cap is part of a broader goal to scale back the number of temporary residents, including international students, from 6.5% to 5% of the population by 2027 (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [IRCC], 2024; Lorne, 2025). Eligibility criteria of the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program were adjusted to fur- ther reduce the volume of temporary residents. Graduates from programs in fields that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has designated as priority, based on an assessment of labour market needs, will now be favoured for PGWP eligibility. Certain private institutions in Québec, particularly unsubsidized institutions, have been excluded from Designated Learning Institution (DLI) status (IRCC, n.d.-a). International students must now demonstrate to the federal government that their language levels are at least CLB level 7 in English, or NCLC level 7 in French (in reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Graduate students from colleges, polytechnics, or non-university programs, instead, must achieve a minimum of CLB level 5, or NCLC level 5. Approved language tests can be booked on the Government of Canada’s website, with the option of writing them in-person or at a designated centre (IRCC, n.d.-b). While the intent behind these policies is to manage immigration levels and reduce pressure on public resources, they have also led to various repercussions on international students.