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Ottawa: In recent times, the number of Indians applying to study in Canada has significantly reduced, owing to Ottawa’s clampdown on International students. This year, the country has lowered the number of international students permitted to study in the country.
Close to 74 percent of applicants from India have been rejected in August this year as compared to 32 percent in same month in 2023. The number of applicants have also dropped – from 20,900 in August 2023 to 4,515 in August this year.
Canada has always been one of the top destinations for Indian students who wish to study abroad. In August this year, Canada also became the country with the highest refusal rate of any country. The development comes even as India and Canada are trying to improve their relationship, which nosedived following former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s accusation that India's role in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a member of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). India has denied the claims.
In 2023, Indian authorities found that nearly 1,550 study permit applications were linked to fake letters of acceptance. Of these many were there also from India. Last year, the country found over 14,000 verification letters of acceptance.
Reacting to the development, the Indian embassy in Ottawa said that the development has come to its attention; however, it is the prerogative of Canada to permit applications. "However, we would like to emphasise that some of the best quality students available in the world are from India, and Canadian institutions have in the past greatly benefited from the talent and academic excellence of these students," the embassy said in a statement.
During her visit to India recently, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, while speaking to Reuters, said that her country is concerned about the integrity of its immigration system. She added that Canada wants to continue to encourage Indian students to apply in Canada.
