Ottawa [Canada]: Canada’s recent crackdown on international student permits has led to a sharp decline in approvals for Indian applicants, with government data showing record-high rejection rates, CTV News reported, citing Reuters.
In early 2025, Ottawa reduced the number of study permits for the second consecutive year as part of its effort to curb temporary migration and address student visa fraud. The result has been a dramatic fall in approvals for Indian students—traditionally Canada’s largest international student group.
According to data shared with Reuters, around 74% of Indian student visa applications were rejected in August 2025, a steep rise from 32% during the same month in 2024. The overall global refusal rate stood at about 40%, while 24% of Chinese applicants were denied.
The total number of applications from India dropped from 20,900 in August 2023 to just 4,515 in August 2025, marking a major decline in interest. Despite India’s long-standing position as Canada’s top source of international students, it now has the highest refusal rate among all countries with over 1,000 approved applicants.
The wave of rejections coincides with ongoing diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi. Relations soured after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in 2023 that India was linked to the killing of a Canadian citizen — a claim New Delhi has consistently denied.
Concerns about fraud have also fueled the clampdown. In 2023, Canadian authorities uncovered about 1,550 fake study permit applications, many involving counterfeit admission letters from Indian agents. Last year, Canada’s improved verification systems flagged over 14,000 suspicious documents across all visa applications.
In response, the Immigration Department tightened background checks and increased the financial proof required for study visa applicants.
The Indian Embassy in Ottawa acknowledged the rising rejection rate, saying that while visa issuance remains Canada’s prerogative, Indian students have long been an asset to Canadian universities. “Some of the best students globally come from India, and they have greatly contributed to Canada’s academic excellence,” the embassy said.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, during her October visit to India, said that while Ottawa is committed to preserving the “integrity of its immigration system,” it remains eager to welcome Indian students.
Education experts say the scrutiny has become far more stringent. Michael Pietrocarlo of Border Pass, a Canadian immigration consultancy, said that applicants are now required to provide extensive proof of their financial and academic background. “It’s not enough to show basic bank statements — applicants must now verify where the funds originated,” he explained.
At the University of Waterloo, which houses Canada’s largest engineering faculty, Indian student enrolment has dropped by nearly two-thirds in the past few years. Associate Vice-President Ian VanderBurgh attributed the decline to the federal cap on study permits, saying, “We’ve always valued being an international institution.”
Other universities, including the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan, have reported similar downward trends.
Jaspreet Singh, founder of the International Sikh Students Association and a former international student, recalled when Canada’s message was “Study, Work, Stay.” He said that sentiment has faded as permanent residency and job prospects for graduates have become harder to secure.
Meanwhile, Ottawa is seeking new powers to revoke batches of temporary visas over fraud concerns related mainly to India and Bangladesh, according to internal documents obtained by CBC News.
A presentation prepared for the Immigration Minister’s office revealed that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and U.S. counterparts have formed a task force to detect and cancel fraudulent visas. The proposal, part of Bill C-12 under the broader border security bill C-2, has raised concerns among over 300 civil society groups.
The Migrant Rights Network warned that the proposed powers could create “a mass deportation mechanism.”
Internal documents also showed that tighter verification measures have slowed visa processing times — from 30 days in mid-2023 to 54 days by 2024 — and led to a fall in approvals, from 63,000 in January 2024 to 48,000 in June 2024.
Nearly 1,900 Indian applicants have since been flagged for further scrutiny and issued procedural fairness notices outlining their legal rights.
IRCC clarified to CBC News that the new authority would not target any particular nationality, saying, “Decisions will not be made unilaterally or without procedural fairness.”
Officials said that any future use of visa cancellation powers would require Cabinet approval and be publicly recorded in the Canada Gaz
