Canada Tightens Study Visa Rules; Indian Students In Panic

Amid more stringent rules for study visas in Canada, the students pursuing higher education in Canada are worried and calling the study abroad consultants in India for more clarity on the situation.

Study in Canada: According to media reports the study abroad consultants in India are receiving several calls from Indian students studying in Canada. Many of the aspirants who are planning to study in Canada are also worried due to the end of the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program and Canada's cap on international student permits. The Indian students studying there as well as those who are planning to enter the country are facing an uncertain situation over these latest developments.

There are an estimated 423,000 Indians in Canada who are anxious about the heightened security of visa applications, sudden permit cancellations, and stricter enforcement of departure rules.

"We've had multiple clients lose their permits despite perfect academic records. The IRCC (the government department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) projects 7,000 more revocations this year - I think that's conservative," said Nikhil Jain, founder of ForeignAdmits, as reported by Economic Times.

Also, the latest requirement of the new C$20,635 GIC (guaranteed investment certificate) for Fall 2025 applicants has resulted in a massive financial burden for Indian middle-class families. Also, the lending institutes are more reluctant to fund students going to Canada.

Study In Canada: Latest Updates

Of late, the Country has been implementing many changes to its immigration policy to curb the number of international students entering Canada. To ease the pressure on healthcare, housing and other essential services, the country implemented a cap on study permit applications. Also, most study permit applicants now need to submit either a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or a Territorial Attestat Letter (TAL).

"In 2024, IRCC capped the number of study permit applications that could be accepted for processing to keep our program strong and help ease the strain on housing, health care and other services. This measure has reduced the number of international students coming to Canada by about 40% and also eased pressures in rental markets with high student populations. Building on these changes, provincial and territorial allocations for 2025 have now been finalized. For 2025, IRCC plans to issue a total of 437,000 study permits, which represents a 10% decrease from the 2024 cap," says the statement of the Canadian government.

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