Ottawa:
Amid efforts to reduce illegal migration to the country, Canada has tightened its immigration and visa policies, affecting thousands of Indians, especially students pursuing higher education abroad. Since Canada’s new Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations came into effect on January 31, several students reported sudden permit cancellations, heightened scrutiny of visa applications and stricter enforcement of departure rules.
“We’ve had multiple clients lose their permits despite perfect academic records,” said Nikhil Jain, founder of ForeignAdmits, according to a report by Economic Times.
According to Jain, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has projected 7,000 more revocations this year, which is likely to affect 4,27,000 Indian students studying in Canada.
In case a student’s permit is revoked, experts said they may be required to leave Canada unless they successfully appeal. However, the legal costs for appeals start at C$1,500, with no guarantee of success.
“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.
Canada’s tightening stance on immigration is also affecting the number of study permits granted to Indian students.
“There’s a 40 per cent drop in study permits issued to Indian students since Q4 2023,” Siddharth Iyer, chief operating officer of OneStep Global told ET.
Moreover, the Fall 2025 applicants face the new C$20,635 GIC (guaranteed investment certificate) requirement – a massive financial hurdle for middle-class Indian families.
Notably, Indian students make up nearly 35-40 per cent of Canada’s international student population. The new regulations are likely to impact them, along with Indian employees, and temporary resident visitors.
Change In Canada’s Visa Programme
Amid the Canadian government’s push to reduce illegal migration, the country has introduced big changes to its immigration regulations, authorising border officials to cancel temporary resident documents such as electronic travel authorisations (eTAs) and temporary resident visas (TRVs).
Under the amended rules, Canadian immigration and border officers can cancel any individual’s eTAs, TRVs, work permits, and study permits if their status or circumstances change, making them ineligible or inadmissible.
Authorities can even cancel any person’s permits if they are not convinced that the individual will leave Canada upon the expiration of their authorised stay and if their documents are lost, stolen, destroyed, or issued based on an administrative error.
Moreover, students can also have their immigration papers cancelled if they are denied a work or study visa. However, the rules ensure that the immigration and border authorities are the only ones who can cancel these visas, to avoid any unauthorised intervention.
Under the new rules, if any student’s study permit is revoked, they might face trouble finishing their studies or moving to work permits after graduation.
Canada is among the most preferred destinations for Indian students, workers, and legal migrants. Students alone, currently pursuing their higher education in Canada, account for more than 4.2 lakh Indian nationals as per government data. The amended rules follow a series of changes to Ottawa’s immigration framework, including the cancellation of the Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa programme in late 2024.