The newest IRCC data confirms what many enrollment teams have already sensed: we are at a turning point in study permit approvals. While overall application volumes dipped slightly in Q2 2025, approval rates surged; especially for schools taking a proactive, data-informed approach.
This breakdown highlights what changed, what it means for your international recruitment strategy, and how to course-correct now—before Q3 numbers arrive.
Q2 2025 saw 50,710 study permit applications, down slightly from Q1’s 54,260. But despite the dip, approvals jumped by 4,450, leading to a 10-point increase in the national approval rate (from 25.00% to 35.53%).
This suggests a growing divide in quality: fewer applications overall, but stronger ones getting through. For Designated Learning Institutions, this means more than just numbers—it’s a shift in expectations from IRCC.
“The data shows a small drop in total applications processed this quarter, but a big improvement in outcomes, ” says Jonathan Sherman, Vice President of Sales & Partnerships at BorderPass.
Some source markets showed dramatic movement this quarter:
Smaller markets like Vietnam, Nepal, and Nigeria are also moving—some positively, some unpredictably—creating both new opportunities and risk. For many DLIs, this means rethinking region-based strategies in real time.
One thing is clear: institutions prioritizing quality and readiness are winning. Schools using application intelligence—whether by tightening documentation review, prioritizing travel-readiness, or working with legally backed partners—are seeing dramatically better outcomes. In fact, schools working with BorderPass now average more than double the national approval rate.
“Schools working with BorderPass are leading the way with success rates more than double the national average," says Varinder Johal, Head of Legal at BorderPass.
This isn’t just correlation, it’s a sign that the bar is rising for all schools.
Beyond country-level trends, the type of institution also made a difference in Q2.
When we looked at the top 20 high-volume universities and 20 high-volume colleges across Canada, the contrast between universities and colleges was clear:
That performance gap gets even more visible at the monthly level:
Many colleges are struggling to maintain stability or lift outcomes. If you’re seeing erratic results despite strong recruitment, now is the moment to dig deeper—and get support. BorderPass helps DLIs reduce volatility by flagging risk earlier, guiding stronger applications, and lifting approvals where it matters most. Learn more about partnering with BorderPass.
This data signals a critical moment: IRCC is rewarding precision, not just volume. Here’s how to stay aligned:
Book Your Data Review and the BorderPass team can build you a custom report showing:
Talk to our team today.
The Q2 data makes one thing clear—quality beats volume. Schools that guide students through compliant, complete applications early are seeing results now, not later.
The gap between high- and low-performing DLIs is widening. But with the right insights and tools, it’s absolutely within reach to improve your outcomes; this quarter, and the next.