Three in four Indian student visas rejected in Canada: Report
Figures from Canada’s immigration department reportedly show that around 74 per cent of Indian applicants were denied study permits in August 2025
Nearly three in every four Indian applications for study permits to Canadian post-secondary institutions were rejected in August this year, according to a Reuters report citing official government data.
Canada’s restrictions on international students have disproportionately affected applicants from India, the data revealed.
Notably, the Canadian government reduced the number of international student permits for the second consecutive year in early 2025, as part of its efforts to curb temporary migration and combat student visa fraud.
74 pc of Indian student visas rejected
Figures from Canada’s immigration department reportedly show that around 74 per cent of Indian applicants were denied study permits in August 2025, compared to 32 per cent in August 2023.
In contrast, the overall rejection rate across all countries remained around 40 per cent in both years, while 24 per cent of Chinese applicants were turned down in August 2025.
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The data further indicated a steep decline in the number of Indian students applying for student permits, falling from 20,900 in August 2023 to just 4,515 in August 2025.
India, long the largest source of international students in Canada, also recorded the highest rejection rate among nations with more than 1,000 approved applicants.
Move to curb student visa fraud
The spike in refusals reflects Ottawa’s continued tightening of controls on international student permits for the second consecutive year. Canadian officials say the move is intended to limit the inflow of temporary migrants and address student visa-related fraud.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa acknowledged the rising rejection rate of Indian applications but stressed that visa issuance rests solely with Canadian authorities.
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“However, we wish to highlight that some of the best-quality students in the world come from India, and Canadian institutions have long benefited from their talent and academic excellence,” the mission said in a statement to Reuters.
The high rejection rate comes amid efforts by New Delhi and Ottawa to mend relations, following more than a year of diplomatic tension under the administration of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Bilateral ties soured after Trudeau alleged in 2023 that there were “credible allegations” of Indian government involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a claim India dismissed as “absurd.”
Fake admission letters trigger visa crackdown
Canadian authorities have been on high alert over fraudulent college admission letters, many reportedly originating from India. In 2023, officials discovered nearly 1,550 fake applications linked to Indian students, according to the immigration department.
A year later, enhanced verification systems identified over 14,000 potentially fake acceptance letters from applications received last year, the news report noted.
In a statement to the news agency, Canada’s immigration department said it had tightened verification procedures and increased financial thresholds for international students “to protect the integrity of the system.”
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During her visit to India in October, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand stated that while her government wanted to maintain opportunities for Indian students, it remained committed to safeguarding “the integrity of its immigration system.”