In August this year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rejected 74 percent of Indian study permit applications, a significant rise from the 32 percent refusal rate recorded in August 2023.

While the overall rejection rate for all applicants was around 40 percent, only 24 percent of Chinese applications were refused, highlighting the particularly stringent scrutiny faced by Indian candidates.

Canada’s crackdown on international students has hit Indian applicants particularly hard, government data shows, as the country loses its appeal among students from India.

In early 2025, Canada reduced the number of international student permits for the second consecutive year to curb temporary migration and address student visa fraud. As a result, about 74 percent of Indian applications for study permits in August 2025 were rejected, up from 32 percent in August 2023, according to immigration data shared with Reuters. By comparison, around 40 percent of all study permit applications were refused, and 24 percent of Chinese applications were rejected in the same period.

The number of Indian applicants has also fallen, from 20,900 in August 2023 to 4,515 in August 2025. India has historically been Canada’s top source of international students, but in August 2025, it had the highest study-permit refusal rate among countries with over 1,000 approved applicants.

The surge in rejections comes as Canada and India work to repair ties following tensions over the 2023 murder of a Canadian in Surrey, British Columbia, which former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged involved the Indian government — claims India denies.

Canadian authorities also found nearly 1,550 study permit applications linked to fraudulent letters of acceptance in 2023, mostly from India. Last year, a strengthened verification system flagged over 14,000 potentially fraudulent letters from applicants worldwide. Canada has since increased financial requirements and verification measures for international students.

The Indian embassy in Ottawa acknowledged the high rejection rates but noted that issuing study permits is Canada’s prerogative, adding that “some of the best students in the world are from India, and Canadian institutions have greatly benefited from their talent and academic excellence.”

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