Canada Rejects 80% Indian Student Visas in 2025 Amid Stricter Rules

Canada, long viewed as one of the most welcoming destinations for international education, is closing its doors at a pace not seen in years. Fresh data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) show that 62 per cent of student visa applications were refused in 2025, up from 52 per cent last year and well above the 40 per cent average of earlier years.

For many students worldwide, the figures are not just paperwork setbacks but a signal of how Canada is reshaping its approach to overseas education.

A decade-high rejection rate

IRCC records indicate rejection rates are now at their highest in a decade. Reports suggest Indian applicants have borne the brunt, with as many as 80 per cent of their applications turned down. While a full country-wise breakdown has not been made public, education outlet Pie News reported that the scale of denials points to ripple effects across Asia, Africa, and beyond.

In 2024, Canada hosted more than one million international students, the second largest cohort after the United States. Of these, 41 per cent were from India, 12 per cent from China, and more than 17,000 from Vietnam, according to VnExpress.

Why Ottawa is tightening rules

Immigration experts trace the surge in refusals to domestic concerns ranging from housing shortages to questions about whether incoming students can financially sustain themselves.

“IRCC is clearly scrutinising study permit applications much more strictly,” said Jonathan Sherman, vice president of BorderPass, a Canada study permit support platform, in comments to Pie News.

In December, Ottawa doubled the minimum financial proof requirement to CA$20,635 ($14,963). Students must now also provide clear study plans and error-free documentation, consultancy ApplyBoard told Pie News.

Fewer permits and tougher conditions

Canada plans to issue 437,000 study permits in 2025, nearly 10 per cent fewer than last year. VnExpress reported that 73,000 are reserved for postgraduate students, 243,000 for undergraduates and other programmes, and 120,000 for school-age children and renewals.

Rules for post-graduation work permits have also become tougher.

• University graduates must now present English or French language test results at B2 level or above
• College graduates require at least B1 level
• Students moving to unapproved programmes will no longer qualify for post-study work permits
• The Student Direct Stream, which once provided faster visas without financial proof for students from 14 countries, has been closed

Numbers behind the squeeze

In 2024, Canada granted just 267,890 new study permits, almost 100,000 fewer than its official IRCC target and a 48 per cent drop from 2023. The cap on international students, first introduced in 2024, has been tightened by another 10 per cent this year.

As of June 30, 2025:

• 546,562 people in Canada held only a study permit
• 312,010 held both work and study permits

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