Canada Rejects Three In Four Indian Study Permit Applications Amid Immigration Clampdown | India News

Canada’s tightening of international student visa rules has hit Indian applicants particularly hard; government data reveals a sharp increase in work permit denials. Once a popular destination for Indian students, Canada is losing some of its appeal.

As part of broader efforts to curb temporary immigration and crack down on student visa fraud, Canada reduced the number of international student permits for the second year in a row in early 2025.

Latest data shows that around 74% of study permit applications in India were rejected in August 2025; this figure is higher than approximately 32% in August 2023. By comparison, the overall rejection rate for study permits during these months was around 40%, while in August 2025, 24% of Chinese applications were rejected.

The number of Indian applicants also fell sharply, falling to 4,515 in August 2025 from 20,900 in August 2023, when Indians represented more than a quarter of all applicants. India has historically been Canada’s largest source of international students, but in August 2025, it also recorded the highest rejection rate among countries with more than 1,000 approved applicants.

The increase in denials comes as former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attempts to improve Canada-India relations after more than a year of diplomatic tension following accusations that the Indian government was involved in the 2023 killing of a Canadian citizen in Surrey, British Columbia; a claim that India has repeatedly denied.

Blow to Fraud

Canadian officials cited fraud concerns as a key reason for stricter scrutiny. In 2023, around 1,550 study permit applications linked to fake admission letters were uncovered, mostly from India. Last year, Canada’s strengthened verification system detected more than 14,000 potentially fraudulent acceptance letters among all applicants.

The immigration department has also increased financial requirements for international students and introduced enhanced verification procedures.

The Indian embassy in Ottawa acknowledged the high rejection rate, noting that granting study permits was Canada’s prerogative. “However, we would like to emphasize that some of the highest quality students in the world come from India and Canadian institutions have benefited greatly from the talents and academic excellence of these students in the past,” the embassy added.

While the Canadian government is concerned about protecting the integrity of the immigration system, it is keen to continue hosting Indian students, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told Reuters during her visit to India in October.

Decline in Enrollment in India

Education consultants reported stricter screening for Indian applicants. Michael Pietrocarlo of Border Pass, which helps visa applicants, explained: “Just presenting a bank statement is not enough. Students often have to show exactly where the money is coming from to prove their eligibility.”

Many Canadian universities have seen a marked decline in Indian enrollments. The University of Waterloo, home to Canada’s largest engineering school, has seen a two-thirds decline in Indian undergraduate and graduate students in the last three to four years. Vice-President Ian VanderBurgh largely attributed the decline to government restrictions on foreign student visas, which reshaped the student body, and said, “We are proud to be an international university.”

The University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan also reported a decline in the number of Indian students.

Jaspreet Singh, founder of the International Sikh Students Association, recalled that when he came to Canada from India in 2015, government campaigns encouraged newcomers to “Study, work, stay.” He said the attitude has now changed. Singh wasn’t surprised by the rising rejection rate, acknowledging concerns about fraud, but noted that some rejected applicants appeared unconcerned. “They’re happy they didn’t come,” he said, as permanent residency and employment prospects become more challenging.