Canada's crackdown on student visas hits Indian applicants hard

Canada's recent restrictions on international student permits have significantly affected applicants from India, according to government data, with what was once a preferred destination now losing its appeal for Indian students, CTV News reported, citing Reuters.

- AGENCY

According to the report, Canada reduced the number of international study permits for the second consecutive year in early 2025 as part of efforts to curb temporary migration and tackle student visa fraud. About 74 per cent of study permit applications from India were rejected in August 2025, compared to around 32 per cent in the same month last year, the Immigration Department told Reuters. Nearly 40 per cent of all study permit applications were refused overall, while 24 per cent of those from China were turned down. The total number of Indian applicants fell sharply from 20,900 in August 2023 to 4,515 in August 2025. Despite India being Canada's largest source of international students for over a decade, it now has the highest study permit refusal rate among countries with more than 1,000 approved applicants, according to CTV News, citing Reuters data. The spike in visa refusals comes amid continuing diplomatic tension between Canada and India following former Prime Minister Justin Trudea