Overview
- Indian applications fell to about 4,515 in August 2025 from roughly 20,900 in August 2023, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data reported by Reuters.
- The overall study-permit refusal rate held near 40% across all nationalities, while approximately 24% of Chinese applications were rejected in August 2025.
- Ottawa has cut study-permit numbers for a second straight year and increased verification and financial documentation requirements after uncovering about 1,550 fake acceptance letters in 2023 and flagging more than 14,000 potentially fraudulent letters last year.
- The Indian Embassy in Ottawa noted the trend and stressed that permit decisions rest with Canada, while highlighting the quality of Indian students; Foreign Minister Anita Anand has said Canada wants Indian students but must protect immigration-system integrity.
- Canadian campuses report fewer Indian students, with the University of Waterloo citing a roughly two‑thirds decline over recent years as advisers describe deeper scrutiny into the sources of applicants’ funds.