Canada’s recent crackdown on international student admissions has dramatically affected applicants from India, once the largest source of foreign students in the country.

According to immigration data, around 74% of Indian applications for study permits were rejected in August, compared to just 32% in August 2023. This sharp rise in refusal rates marks one of the most dramatic shifts in Canada’s student visa system in years.

The policy tightening comes as the Canadian government prioritizes housing supply, campus capacity and labour-market pressures — factors officials say make it necessary to limit the influx of foreign students. As a result, prospective Indian students, who long considered Canada a top destination for higher education, are increasingly facing barriers.

In recent years, Indian students have been key contributors to Canada’s international education sector, filling university and college seats and injecting billions into the economy. But with rejection rates climbing and uncertainty around post-study work and immigration pathways, analysts say Canada’s appeal among Indian students is beginning to weaken.

The latest figures highlight the shifting landscape of global student mobility and underscore Canada’s ongoing recalibration of its immigration and education policies — changes that are being felt most sharply by Indian applicants.