Toronto, May 24 – Canada has slashed the number of study permits issued to Indian students by nearly a third in the first quarter of 2025, as the federal government continues to tighten rules on temporary immigration amid mounting domestic pressure over housing and infrastructure strains.
According to data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 30,640 study permits were granted to Indian nationals between January and March this year — a 31% drop from 44,295 permits issued during the same period in 2024.
Overall, the number of international study permits issued fell to 96,015 in the first quarter of 2025, down from 121,070 a year earlier. The figures mark a continuation of a downward trend that began in late 2023, when Ottawa began imposing stricter controls on international student inflows.
In 2023, Canada issued a total of 681,155 study permits, with Indian students comprising 278,045 of them. That number fell to 516,275 in 2024, with Indian students accounting for 188,465 — a decline of nearly 90,000 within a year.
The decline follows a series of policy changes introduced by the federal government aimed at curbing temporary immigration, which Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration says has contributed to housing unaffordability and pressure on health and transport infrastructure.
Following his re-election in April, Carney reaffirmed his commitment to limiting the number of temporary residents — including foreign students and workers — to no more than 5% of Canada’s total population by 2027.
As part of the new measures, the IRCC announced last September that the cap for study permits in 2025 would be set at 437,000, down from the previously planned 485,000. The same limit will apply in 2026, officials said.
In addition, as of January 1, 2024, new study permit applicants must demonstrate access to CA$20,635 (roughly ₹12.7 lakh) in available funds — more than double the previous requirement. Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) are also now required to verify student acceptance letters through the IRCC, a rule implemented in December 2023.
Indian students have historically formed the largest group of international students in Canada. The tightening of rules has raised concerns among educational institutions and immigration consultants, who warn that the changes could affect Canada’s attractiveness as a study destination.
