Nearly three-fourths of Indian study permit applications rejected as Ottawa clamps down on visa fraud
Canada’s crackdown on international student visas has hit Indian applicants the hardest, with government data revealing a sharp surge in rejection rates and a steep decline in applications from India, once the country’s largest source of foreign students.
According to data shared by Canada’s immigration department with Reuters, about 74% of Indian student visa applications were rejected in August 2025, compared to 32% a year earlier. In contrast, the overall rejection rate for study permit applications stood at around 40%, while just 24% of Chinese applications were denied.
The number of Indian applicants has also plunged dramatically — from 20,900 in August 2023 to 4,515 in August 2025 — as Canada reduces the number of study permits for the second consecutive year.
Crackdown on visa fraud and misuse
Canadian authorities have intensified efforts to root out fraudulent applications following a 2023 scandal in which nearly 1,550 fake acceptance letters, mostly from India, were discovered. Last year, an expanded verification system identified over 14,000 potentially fraudulent letters of acceptance across all applications.
Canada’s immigration department has since introduced stricter verification checks and raised financial requirements for applicants to ensure only genuine students qualify for study permits.
The Indian Embassy in Ottawa acknowledged awareness of the rising rejection rate but stated that visa decisions remain Canada’s sovereign prerogative. “We would like to emphasize that some of the best quality students in the world are from India, and Canadian institutions have greatly benefited from their talent and excellence,” it said.
The surge in student visa rejections comes amid strained relations between New Delhi and Ottawa following former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2023 allegations linking Indian officials to the killing of a Canadian citizen in British Columbia — a charge India has repeatedly denied.
However, efforts to stabilize ties continue. Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, during her October 2025 visit to India, reiterated that while Ottawa is committed to preserving the integrity of its immigration system, it values the contribution of Indian students to its academic and economic ecosystem.
Universities feel the impact
Leading Canadian universities are witnessing a sharp drop in Indian student enrollment. The University of Waterloo, home to the nation’s largest engineering school, reported a two-thirds decline in Indian undergraduate and graduate admissions in recent years.
Similarly, the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan have also confirmed noticeable declines in enrollments from India.
Michael Pietrocarlo of Border Pass, a Canadian visa consultancy, said applicants now face tougher scrutiny. “It’s not enough to just provide bank statements,” he said. “Students are now expected to prove the source and legitimacy of their funds.”
For many, the once-attractive dream of studying and settling in Canada is fading. Jaspreet Singh, founder of the International Sikh Students Association and a former student who arrived from India in 2015, said the government’s tone has shifted from welcoming to restrictive.
“When I came, the message was ‘Study, work, stay.’ Now, it feels like ‘Apply, wait, and hope,’” Singh remarked, adding that some rejected applicants now feel relieved: “They are happy they didn’t come.”
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