New Delhi: Study abroad consultants across India are facing a surge in frantic calls. Students braving the end of the student direct stream programme in Canada and caps on the permits to international students – or already studying there – are desperate for clarity as the country’s latest immigration regulations take effect. These students and their parents are also seeking help from the consultants to chart their way forward.
Sudden permit cancellations, heightened scrutiny of visa applications and stricter enforcement of departure rules have already thrown thousands of the estimated 423,000 Indians in Canada into a tizzy.
“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.
Fall 2025 applicants face the new C$20,635 GIC (guaranteed investment certificate) requirement – a massive financial hurdle for middle-class Indian families – and lending institutions have also become hesitant in funding students going to Canada, he said.
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The new regulations, which came into effect on January 31, give border officers greater discretion to cancel visas or refuse entry if they believe a student might overstay the authorised period.
Widespread Panic
This has led to increased rejections and processing delays raising concerns about Canada’s long-term appeal as a study destination. “The new measures could lead to increased scrutiny of study permit applications, longer processing times, and higher rejection rates,” said Waseem Javed, founder of EduVib.
Canada has been a preferred destination for Indian students, but according to Aarushi Jain, partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, “Change in regulations and visa issues will likely result in a dip in students applying to Canada; although students with proper paperwork may not have much to worry about.”
Others believe the effect to be widespread. Subsuming those enrolling in private colleges — often a more affordable route — face a higher chance of rejection, and even students in public universities must now meet stricter compliance standards to retain their study permits. For those already in Canada, the situation is equally precarious. Many students are seeing their study permits revoked mid-programme over minor documentation issues. Consultants warn that retroactive scrutiny is creating widespread panic.
LEGAL ROUTE
If a student’s permit is revoked, the student may be required to leave unless he or she successfully appeal, Javed explains.
Experts said legal costs for appeals start at C$1,500, with no guarantee of success. Some students may qualify for alternative visa pathways, but the options are shrinking fast. “We’re telling our Canadian clients to document everything — every hour worked and every address change should be reported within seven days. Canada has shifted from welcoming to suspicious, and students must adapt fast,” said Jain.
Siddharth Iyer, chief operating officer of OneStep Global, highlighted how Canada’s tightening stance is already affecting numbers. “There’s a 40% drop in study permits issued to Indian students since Q4 2023,” he said.
He added that with Indian students making up 35-40% of Canada’s international student population, a sustained decline could impact university finances and the broader economy.
ELECTORAL PRESSURE
With federal elections slated for later this year, the recent spate of moves to effectively put the brakes on the intake of international students may be driven by electoral compulsions.
“The government is under pressure to appease a frustrated electorate. This isn’t just about immigration — it’s about politics, economics, and public sentiment. Rising housing costs, healthcare strain, and growing anti-immigration rhetoric have pushed the Canadian government to act, and international students are now caught in the crossfire,” said Adarsh Khandelwal, cofounder of Collegify.
Beyond domestic concerns, geopolitical factors may also be at play. Canada’s stricter immigration stance follows Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose tariffs if Ottawa does not curb illegal immigration into the US.