Canada Rejects 74% of Indian Study Permit Applications: Immigration Policy Shift and Declining Enrollment

The number of Indian study permit applicants in Canada has dramatically fallen from 20,900 in August 2023 to just 4,515 in August 2025.

Toronto:

Recent government data reveals that Canada's restrictions on international students have disproportionately affected Indian applicants, with the once-favored destination becoming increasingly inaccessible for students from India.

For the second consecutive year, Canada reduced international student permit issuances in early 2025 as part of broader initiatives to decrease temporary migration and address student visa fraud concerns.

According to immigration department statistics provided to Reuters, approximately 74% of Indian applications for Canadian post-secondary study permits were rejected in August – the most recent month with available data – compared to roughly 32% in August 2023.

This contrasts sharply with the overall study permit rejection rate of about 40% across all nationalities during those same months. Chinese applicants faced a significantly lower rejection rate of around 24% in August 2025.

The total number of Indian applicants has also plummeted from 20,900 in August 2023 – when Indians represented over a quarter of all applicants – to merely 4,515 in August 2025.

Despite being Canada's primary source of international students over the past decade, India now faces the highest study permit refusal rate among any country with more than 1,000 approved applicants.

This surge in rejections occurs as Canada and India attempt to repair diplomatic relations following more than a year of tensions. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged Indian government involvement in the 2023 murder of a Canadian citizen in Surrey, British Columbia – accusations India has consistently denied.

In efforts to combat fraud, Canadian authorities uncovered nearly 1,550 study permit applications with fraudulent acceptance letters in 2023, with most originating from India, according to Canada's immigration department.

Last year, their enhanced verification system detected over 14,000 potentially fraudulent acceptance letters from applicants across all nationalities.

Canada has implemented stricter verification procedures for international students and increased financial requirements for applicants, an immigration department spokesperson confirmed.

The Indian embassy in Ottawa acknowledged awareness of the high rejection rates but noted that issuing study permits remains Canada's prerogative. "However, we would like to emphasise that some of the best quality students available in the world are from India, and Canadian institutions have in the past greatly benefited from the talent and academic excellence of these students," the embassy stated.

During an October visit to India, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told Reuters that while the government remains concerned about immigration system integrity, it wishes to continue welcoming Indian students to Canada.

Professionals working with prospective international students report observing heightened scrutiny of applications.

Michael Pietrocarlo of Border Pass, which assists with Canadian visa applications, explained that his firm prepares applicants to demonstrate eligibility beyond basic documentation requirements. For instance, when students must prove sufficient financial resources, "it's not enough just to say, 'Here are some bank statements.' They may have to go the extra mile and say, 'Here's where the money came from.'"

The University of Waterloo, home to Canada's largest engineering school, has experienced a two-thirds reduction in Indian students entering undergraduate and graduate programs over the past three to four years.

Ian VanderBurgh, associate vice president of strategic enrolment management at the university, attributed the decline primarily to government caps on foreign student visas, noting how this has altered the student body composition. "We pride ourselves on being an international university," he remarked.

The Universities of Regina and Saskatchewan have similarly reported declining Indian student enrollments.

Jaspreet Singh, founder of the International Sikh Students Association, recalls seeing government posters encouraging newcomers to "Study, work, stay" when he arrived from India in 2015 to study mechanical engineering. That welcoming attitude has deteriorated, he observed.

Singh isn't surprised by the higher rejection rates for Indian study permit applicants, acknowledging that fraud remains a concern. However, as obtaining permanent residency or employment in Canada becomes increasingly difficult, he notes that some recently rejected applicants appear unbothered: "They are happy they didn't come."