(Reuters, Toronto) In response to fraud, Canada has significantly reduced its intake of international students, with Indian student visa applicants being the hardest hit.
According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the rejection rate for Indian students reached 74% in August this year, significantly higher than the 32% rejection rate in August 2023 and also exceeding the average rejection rate of 40%. The rejection rate for Chinese students was approximately 24%. The number of Indian applicants to study in Canada has also decreased, from 29,000 in August 2023 to 4,515 in August this year.
Canada was once a popular study destination globally, but to reduce temporary immigration and combat student visa-related fraud, the Canadian government tightened the issuance of international student visas for the second consecutive year earlier this year.
IRCC stated that in 2023, authorities discovered nearly 1,550 student visa applications accompanied by forged university acceptance letters, most of which originated from India. The immigration department has strengthened its review and verification of international students, discovering over 14,000 suspected forged university acceptance letters last year.
Visa agent Peter Locaro says student visa processing is now more stringent. Previously, applicants only needed to provide bank statements to demonstrate sufficient funds to cover tuition and living expenses, but now they may also need to "explain where the money is coming from."
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For the past decade, India has been the largest source of international students for Canada. In response to the visa refusals against Indian students, the Indian Embassy in Ottawa issued a statement saying that Canada has the right to decide whether to issue student visas, but "we want to emphasize that some of the world's best students come from India, and Canadian universities have historically benefited from the talent and outstanding academic performance of these students."
The University of Waterloo, the University of Regina, and the University of Saskatchewan have all reported a decrease in their Indian student enrollment. Jasprit Singh, founder of the International Sikh Students Association of Canada, came to Canada from India in 2015 to study mechanical engineering. He recalls that at the time, the Canadian government welcomed foreigners to "study, work, and reside" in Canada, but now the Canadian attitude has changed. He points out that finding work or applying for permanent residency has become more difficult, so some of those whose visas were refused seem unconcerned, "They're even glad they didn't come here."
