Indian students looking to study in Canada are facing a major obstacle as approvals for study visas are anticipated to drop by nearly 50% this year. According to a report by ApplyBoard, the decline is attributed to stricter immigration policies and increased financial requirements.
The ApplyBoard report, scheduled for release on Tuesday and reported by The Globe and Mail, reveals that the number of new study permits issued by Canada is projected to decrease significantly, returning to levels seen in 2018 and 2019. Specifically, approvals for Indian students have already halved in the first half of 2024, which may reflect the trends for the entire year.
The forecast indicates that Canada will grant just over 231,000 new study permits by the end of 2024, a sharp reduction from the 436,000 permits issued in 2023. Additionally, global applications for Canadian study permits are expected to fall by 39% compared to the previous year.
In 2022, Indian students made up a significant portion of Canada's international student body, with 226,000 out of 550,000 students coming from India. These students not only contribute to the academic community but also participate in the Canadian economy through gig work.
ApplyBoard's CEO and co-founder, Meti Basiri, attributed the decrease to the Canadian government's recent decision to raise financial requirements for international students and the introduction of stricter immigration policies. He noted that this has led many students to either delay their applications or choose alternative destinations such as the US, Germany, and France.
In December 2023, Canada's Immigration Minister Marc Miller increased the required proof of funds for study permit applicants from $10,000 to $20,635. This adjustment aims to address the growing number of international students and the rising cost of living in Canada. Further, in January 2024, Miller announced a cap on the expansion of international student numbers for the next two years, predicting a 35% reduction in student intake for 2024 compared to 2023.
The impact on Indian students, who represent a substantial segment of Canada's international student population, has been particularly pronounced. The reduction in study permit approvals for Indian students was 50% in the first half of the year, as noted by The Globe and Mail.
The ApplyBoard report suggests that the government's target of approving 364,000 study permits in 2024, within a cap of 606,000 applications, may not be met.
Applications for postgraduate programs, such as master’s and doctoral studies, which are not subject to the government’s cap, also experienced a significant decline. From January to June 2024, only 114,000 study permits were approved—a 48% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, the number of applications processed in the second quarter of 2024 dropped by 54% from the previous year.
An IRCC spokesperson, Jeffrey MacDonald, confirmed that the cap introduced in January is already affecting study permit volumes. While there has been a notable drop in approvals and applications in the first half of the year, MacDonald stated it is too early to fully evaluate the overall impact of the cap, as the peak processing period for study permits is typically in the summer and early fall.
.
