Thousands of PR and study applications cancelled as Indian approvals plunge 60%
Indian applicants are facing unprecedented setbacks as Canada cancels thousands of pending immigration files while drastically reducing study permit approvals.
Indian student permits have dropped nearly 60% this year, with only 62,460 approvals issued between January and August 2025, compared to 1.5 lakh in the same period last year.
Analysts say Canada’s tightened immigration policies mark one of the most significant shifts in its education landscape in decades
Canada has capped study permits at 437,000 for 2025, citing pressures on housing, healthcare and education. Rising financial requirements, discontinuation of the Student Direct Stream, and higher rejection rates—71% for Indian applicants—have further intensified uncertainty.
The sharp fall in arrivals—over 214,000 fewer foreign students in just six months—has severely impacted Indian aspirants, who previously accounted for 35% of all international applicants.
