Canada tightens scrutiny as Indian student visa refusals hit record 74%

Canada has seen a sharp rise in student visa rejections for Indian applicants, with nearly 74% of applications refused in August 2025, according to official immigration data.

The figure represents more than double the 32% rejection rate recorded in August 2023. In contrast, Canada’s global student visa refusal rate remained steady at around 40%, while Chinese students faced only 24% rejections.

The data also show a steep drop in Indian applications, from 20,900 in August 2023 to just 4,515 this year.

Despite the fall, Indian students continue to face the highest rejection rate among all countries with over 1,000 approved permits.

Officials and experts say the spike in denials coincides with ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada.

Relations between the two nations worsened after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the 2023 killing of a Sikh separatist leader, an accusation India has consistently denied.

Amid this strained climate, Canada’s immigration department has intensified its scrutiny of student visa applications, particularly after uncovering over 1,550 fake study permit cases in 2023, many linked to forged admission letters issued by Indian agents.

Enhanced verification systems have since flagged more than 14,000 potentially fraudulent applications worldwide. Authorities have also introduced stricter financial requirements for international students.

The Indian Embassy in Ottawa said it has taken note of the high rejection rates, emphasizing that “Canadian universities have long benefitted from Indian students’ talent and academic excellence.”

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, during her October visit to India, reaffirmed that the country remains open to welcoming Indian students but added that it must “protect the integrity of the immigration system.”

Meanwhile, Canadian universities are reporting a steep decline in Indian student enrollment.

The University of Waterloo, which houses Canada’s largest engineering school, has seen the number of Indian students fall by nearly two-thirds over the past four years.

Ian VanderBurgh, associate vice-president for strategic enrollment management at Waterloo, said the drop is partly due to the government’s cap on foreign student visas. “We take pride in being an international institution,” he said.

Similar declines have been reported at the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan, reflecting the broader impact of visa tightening measures and diplomatic friction on higher education ties between the two countries.