Public colleges and universities will receive nearly all of Ontario’s international student application spots for 2026, though overall numbers have been sharply reduced by the federal government.
Post-secondary Minister Nolan Quinn said 96 per cent of applications will go to public institutions, with the remaining four per cent allocated to private universities and language schools. Allocations will be based on programs aligned with labour-market needs.
Ontario has been issued 104,780 provincial attestation letters (PALs) for 2026, allowing for a maximum of 70,074 study permits — a 42 per cent drop from last year. Master’s and doctoral students at public universities are exempt from PALs but remain subject to the overall permit cap.
By comparison, Ontario received 181,590 PALs in 2025 and 235,000 in 2024.
The Council of Ontario Universities said applications to universities will fall to about 24,600, down from 36,725. CEO Steve Orsini warned the continued reductions could limit talent development, weaken research capacity, and add to financial pressures on universities.