Sharp Decline in Study Permits for Indian Students in Canada

Study permits for Indian students in Canada plunged over 66% in April-June 2025, falling to 17,885 from 55,660 a year earlier. Tighter immigration caps, rising financial thresholds, and political concerns over housing and infrastructure are driving the decline. Canada’s new immigration policy, due this fall, may reinforce these restrictions.

The number of Indian students heading to Canada for higher education has witnessed a steep decline, according to recent data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Between April and June 2025, only 17,885 study permits were granted to Indian nationals, compared to 55,660 during the same period last year. This represents a fall of more than 66%.

The impact extends to the first half of 2025, when total permits for Indian students dropped from nearly 100,000 in 2024 to under 48,000. Overall, Canada issued about 149,860 permits in the first six months of this year, down by almost 100,000 from 2024. Indians, who once comprised nearly half of all recipients, now account for just under one-third.

This dramatic reduction reflects policy shifts introduced since 2023 to limit international student intake. Canada’s programme for foreign students has faced growing criticism, particularly over its alleged role in worsening housing shortages and straining public services. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who returned to office after the April 2025 federal elections, confirmed that temporary residents, including students, will be capped at no more than five percent of the national population by 2027.

Financial requirements have also risen sharply. From January 2024, applicants had to demonstrate access to over CA$20,000 in funds, double the earlier threshold. In July 2025, this figure was raised again to nearly CA$23,000.

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Canada had issued 681,005 study permits in 2023, with Indians comprising over 278,000. By 2024, the total fell to 515,520, and India’s share declined to 188,280. With the 2025 cap on study permits fixed at 437,000, observers expect the downward trend to continue. The government is set to unveil a comprehensive immigration policy later this fall.