Canada has tightened its immigration and visa policies to curb illegal migration, impacting thousands of Indian students. Since the new regulations began on January 31, many have faced permit cancellations and stricter visa application scrutiny. With a projected 7,000 more revocations this year, experts warn that students may need to leave Canada unless they can afford costly appeals starting at C$1,500. Study permits issued to Indian students have dropped by 40%, and new financial requirements pose challenges for families. Canadian border officials now have greater authority to revoke temporary resident documents based on changing circumstances, significantly affecting Indian nationals in Canada.
Ottawa:
In response to ongoing efforts to combat illegal migration, Canada has tightened its immigration and visa policies, impacting thousands of Indian nationals, particularly students seeking higher education abroad. Since the introduction of Canada’s new Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations on January 31, numerous students have reported unexpected permit cancellations, increased scrutiny of visa applications, and stricter enforcement of departure regulations.
“We’ve had several clients lose their permits despite maintaining impeccable academic records,” stated Nikhil Jain, founder of ForeignAdmits, as reported by the Economic Times.
Jain further mentioned that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) anticipates an additional 7,000 revocations this year, which may affect around 427,000 Indian students currently studying in Canada.
If a student’s permit is revoked, experts indicate that they may need to leave Canada unless they successfully appeal. However, the legal fees for such appeals begin at C$1,500, with no assurance of a favorable outcome.
“We advise our Canadian clients to meticulously document everything—every hour worked and every address change should be reported within seven days. Canada has shifted from a welcoming stance to a more suspicious one, and students must quickly adapt,” Jain emphasized.
The tightening of immigration policies is also resulting in fewer study permits being issued to Indian students.
“There has been a 40 percent decrease in the number of study permits granted to Indian students since Q4 2023,” reported Siddharth Iyer, chief operating officer of OneStep Global, to ET.
Additionally, applicants for Fall 2025 now face a new C$20,635 GIC (guaranteed investment certificate) requirement—a significant financial barrier for many middle-class Indian families.
It’s important to note that Indian students constitute nearly 35-40 percent of Canada’s international student demographic. The new regulations are likely to affect this group, along with Indian employees and temporary resident visitors.
Change In Canada’s Visa Programme
In light of the Canadian government’s initiative to curb illegal migration, significant changes have been made to immigration regulations, empowering border officials to revoke temporary resident documents such as electronic travel authorizations (eTAs) and temporary resident visas (TRVs).
With the revised rules, Canadian immigration and border officers can cancel any individual’s eTAs, TRVs, work permits, and study permits if their status or circumstances shift, rendering them ineligible or inadmissible.
Moreover, authorities have the capability to revoke someone’s permits if they doubt the individual will leave Canada once their authorized stay expires, or if their documents are lost, stolen, destroyed, or issued due to an administrative mistake.
Students may also find their immigration papers canceled if they are denied a work or study visa. However, the regulations specify that only immigration and border authorities have the power to revoke these visas, preventing any unauthorized actions.
Under the new regulations, if any student’s study permit is revoked, they may encounter difficulties completing their studies or transferring to work permits after graduation.
Canada remains one of the top destinations for Indian students, workers, and legal migrants. Currently, there are over 420,000 Indian nationals pursuing higher education in Canada, according to government statistics. These amendments follow previous changes to Ottawa’s immigration framework, including the discontinuation of the Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa program in late 2024.