Canada rejects 74% of Indian student visas as part of fraud crackdown and policy overhaul

Highlights:

• Canada rejected 74 per cent of Indian student visa applications in August 2025.
• Fraudulent study permits and fake admissions triggered stricter verification rules.
• Indian enrollments dropped sharply at major Canadian universities.
• Diplomatic tensions between India and Canada worsened the situation.
• Students are turning to Australia and the UK for better opportunities.

Canada has rejected a record 74 per cent of Indian student visa applications this year, marking a steep rise from just 32 per cent last August. The move reflects Ottawa’s wider immigration policy overhaul aimed at tightening verification and curbing fraud.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), only 1,196 of the 4,515 applications from Indian students were approved in August 2025. This stands in stark contrast to 2023, when India accounted for over a quarter of all international applicants. While the overall global rejection rate remains around 40 per cent, Chinese applicants faced only a 24 per cent refusal rate, showing the extra scrutiny placed on Indian candidates.

For thousands of Indian students who once saw Canada as a land of opportunity to study, work, and settle, the dream is fading. The government’s latest cap on international student permits—reduced to 437,000 in 2025—has resulted in a 31 per cent cut for Indian applicants. In just the first half of the year, nearly 90,000 fewer study permits were issued compared to 2024.

A major reason behind the strict policies is a widespread crackdown on visa fraud. In 2023, authorities discovered around 1,550 fake Indian study permit applications linked to fraudulent admission letters. Travel agent Brijesh Mishra from Jalandhar was accused of selling these fake documents, leaving many students stranded in Canada. Since then, IRCC has introduced enhanced verification tools that require applicants to provide detailed proof of funds and document authenticity.

This tougher approach has hit Canadian universities financially. Institutions such as the University of Waterloo and the University of Saskatchewan report a steep drop in Indian enrollments, impacting their budgets. International students contribute nearly $22 billion annually to Canada’s economy, with Indians forming a major part of that contribution.

Diplomatic tensions following the Hardeep Singh Nijjar case have also cooled relations, indirectly affecting student mobility. While Canadian officials stress they still value Indian talent, the emphasis now lies on maintaining “immigration integrity.”

As Canada tightens its doors, many Indian students are redirecting their ambitions toward Australia and the United Kingdom, where visa approval rates have risen by up to 20 per cent this year.