Aspiring students from India are facing unprecedented challenges in securing Canadian study permits, with official data revealing a dramatic spike in rejections. Canada’s immigration authorities have implemented stricter measures aimed at curbing temporary migration and combating student visa fraud, resulting in significantly higher refusal rates for Indian applicants. These policy adjustments have led to a decrease in the overall number of international student permits issued, continuing a trend that began in early 2025.
Government statistics show that in August 2025, a staggering 74% of study permit applications from India were rejected. This represents a stark increase from August 2023, when the refusal rate for Indian applicants was around 32%. For comparison, the overall study permit rejection rate for all nationalities was approximately 40% in the same months, while Chinese applicants faced a 24% rejection rate in August 2025.
The number of Indian students applying for Canadian permits has also seen a sharp decline. From 20,900 applicants in August 2023, when Indians formed over a quarter of all applicants, the number fell to just 4,515 by August 2025. This reversal is significant, as India has historically been Canada’s leading source country for international students. In August 2025, however, India recorded the highest refusal rate among nations with over 1,000 approved applicants.
The intensified scrutiny occurs amid ongoing diplomatic friction between Canada and India, stemming from accusations concerning the alleged involvement of the Indian government in a 2023 murder, which India denies. While Canadian officials emphasize the need to maintain the integrity of their immigration system, the diplomatic backdrop has not gone unnoticed.
Authorities have pointed to an increase in fraudulent applications as a primary justification for the crackdown. In 2023, authorities identified nearly 1,550 study permit applications supported by fake letters of acceptance, with a majority originating from India. Canada’s enhanced verification systems detected more than 14,000 potentially fraudulent acceptance letters across all applicants in the past year.
In addition to enhanced vetting, immigration officials have raised the financial requirements for international students and implemented more robust verification procedures. This has meant that students must now provide more comprehensive proof of funds, often detailing the source of their money, according to education consultants. Universities across Canada have reported a noticeable decrease in the enrollment of Indian students, with some institutions experiencing a substantial drop in recent years, attributed in part to the government’s caps on foreign student visas.
