Overview
- Official data show rejections for Indian study permits reached about 74% in August 2025, up from 32% a year earlier, as applications fell to 4,515 from 20,900.
- By comparison, roughly 40% of all international student applications were refused and 24% of Chinese applicants were rejected in August 2025.
- Canada cut international student-permit issuance for a second straight year in early 2025 and increased financial and admission-verification requirements after large-scale fraud findings.
- Universities report sharp declines in Indian enrolment, with the University of Waterloo citing a roughly two‑thirds drop and institutions in Regina and Saskatchewan noting similar falls.
- Internal documents obtained by CBC describe plans to enable mass visa cancellations for fraud-prone cases, and separate reporting outlines a 2026 immigration plan with lower temporary-resident targets and a pathway to permanent residence for up to 33,000 workers.