Canada’s tightening of international student permits has affected applicants from India government data shows.

In early 2025, Canada reduced the number of international student permits for the second consecutive year, aiming to curb temporary migration and combat student visa fraud.

About 74 per cent of Indian applications for Canadian post-secondary study permits in August were rejected, compared to roughly 32 per cent in August 2023, according to immigration department data shared with Reuters.

Overall, 40 per cent of study permit applications were refused in both periods, while 24 per cent of Chinese applicants faced rejection in August 2025.

The number of Indian applicants also fell sharply, from 20,900 in August 2023—just over one-quarter of all applicants—to 4,515 in August 2025.

India has remained Canada’s top source of international students for the past decade and recorded the highest refusal rate among countries with more than 1,000 approved applicants in August.

The spike in rejections comes as Canada and India work to restore relations following tensions over a 2023 murder in Surrey, British Columbia, which former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged involved the Indian government—a claim India denies.

Canada’s immigration department said in 2023 it found nearly 1,550 study permit applications linked to fraudulent acceptance letters, most from India. Enhanced verification measures and stricter financial requirements have since been introduced.

The Indian embassy in Ottawa said, “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.”

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand noted that the country wants to maintain Indian students while safeguarding immigration integrity.

Universities, including Waterloo, Regina, and Saskatchewan, report significant drops in Indian enrollment.

With inputs from NDTV