Canada Denies 80% of Indian Student Visa Applications in 2025

By Visa Jobs CanadaSeptember 12, 2025September 12, 2025International Students & GraduatesCanadian immigration, immigration rules, student visas, visa rejection, work permits

If you’re considering studying in Canada, you may want to pay attention to recent trends in student visa applications. Reports suggest that, in 2025, Canada rejected almost 80% of student visa applications from Indian students. This comes at a time when the overall rejection rate for student visas across all nationalities has reached a decade high of about 62%.

Important Statistics to Note

Data from Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows a ~62% rejection rate for all student visa applications in 2025, a noticeable rise from ~52% in 2024.
Indian applicants have been particularly affected, with rejection rates nearing 80%. However, the IRCC has yet to provide a detailed country-wise breakdown to confirm this number.
The number of study permits granted to Indian students fell by approximately 31% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, dropping from around 44,295 to 30,640.

Why Are Rejection Rates So High?

Several policy changes and stricter requirements are behind this significant increase in rejections:

Policy Change	Impact on Applications
Financial Proof Requirement Doubled	Applicants now need to demonstrate significantly more funds to cover tuition and living expenses.
Student Direct Stream (SDS) Program Ended	This faster-track visa option has been removed for certain applicants, leading to slower processing times and stricter scrutiny.
Tightened Documentation & Study Plan Review	Applications are being rigorously examined for clarity and intentions, meaning incomplete or flawed paperwork is more likely to be rejected.
Reduced Caps on Study Permits	Canada has set a cap of 437,000 study permits for 2025, a 10% decrease from 2024, which increases competition among applicants.

Implications for Students and Educational Institutions

Students may experience uncertainty and potential financial losses from application fees and other expenses. Ensuring you have strong, compliant documentation is crucial.
Education consultants are advising Indian applicants to keep updated with the new rules and ensure that financial documents are clear, consistent, and well-prepared.
Canadian colleges and universities could face declining international enrolments, impacting tuition revenue.
Alternative study destinations like Germany, Australia, and the UK are being considered more favourably due to clearer processes and less rigid requirements.

What’s Still Up in the Air?

Although the “80% rejection rate for Indian applicants” has been widely reported, there hasn’t been an official confirmation from IRCC providing these exact figures. The number seems to come from various media reports and expert opinions.
The confirmed overall rate of 62% is concerning, but specific data breaking down country-wise rejection (i.e., India vs. other countries) remains largely speculative.
Ongoing changes in immigration policy may lead to more fluctuations in rejection rates, as these are responses to political pressures and policy revisions, rather than fixed trends.

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