Canada’s recent tightening of immigration and student visa regulations has dealt a major blow to Indian applicants, who have long formed the largest cohort of international students in the country.
Government data shows that around 74% of Indian study permit applications in August 2025 were rejected, more than double the 32% refusal rate recorded during the same month last year.
The surge in rejections follows Ottawa’s ongoing efforts to reduce temporary migration and crack down on fraud within the international student system. Authorities have toughened verification procedures after uncovering thousands of fake letters of acceptance, many traced back to India.
In 2023, Canadian officials identified nearly 1,550 fraudulent study permit applications, triggering a nationwide review of student documentation.
The impact has been immediate. Indian applications dropped sharply, from over 20,000 in August 2023 to just about 4,500 this year. While India remains Canada’s largest source of international students, it now faces the highest visa refusal rate among all countries with more than 1,000 successful applicants.
