Canada Student Visa Rejection 2025: Records 74% Denial Rate

Recently released immigration data from Canada suggests declining prospects for Indian students looking to study abroad. In August 2025, Canada turned down almost 74% of applicants for Indian student visas. It is the world’s highest rejection rate. This dramatic increase in rejection rates has sparked concerns about the future of Indian students in Canada. Considering the tensions between the two countries and the increased scrutiny of visa applications. A number of media articles have run during which a pair of delineations of reporting alongside error within. It has has revealed even further concerning issues surfacing the Indian student story.

An Unprecedented Level of Rejections

As reported by Reuters, the same rate for study visas for Indian applicants was noted to be 74%. It is up from a much lower rate of 32% in 2023. And compared to the worldwide study visa denial rate which has remained steady at around 40%, Chinese applicants had a rejection rate of only 24%.

The number of submissions for study visas made by Indian applicants in August 2023 was also noted at 20,900,. This dropped to 4,515 applicants in August 2025. These observations suggest that political friction with India and increased deliberation has deterred applicants. It is still clear that India has the highest rejection rate for applicants of 49 students – where that time, there were over 1000 approved students.

Heightened Strain in India-Canada Relations

Analysts have suggested that a visa rejection is likely in part due to the state of India-Canada relations. The tensions ratcheted up in 2023. It was when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that the Indian government was involved in the killing of a Canadian Sikh separatist leader. These were the accusations that India vehemently denied.

Since that time, relations between New Delhi and Ottawa have deteriorated. Diplomatic friction has affected a number of collaborations, including in the realm of education. In the context of the ongoing diplomatic feud, it seems the immigration options. This includes processing of student visas — have also suffered.

Crackdown on Fraudulent Applications

The substantial uptick in visa rejections comes from Canada’s initiative to combat fraudulent study visa applications. Following the identification of more than 1,550 fraudulent student visas — many involving fake student acceptance letters from Indian agents. Canada’s immigration department has tightened verification processes.

In 2024, Canadian authorities reported locating over 14,000 suspected fabricated applications worldwide. This incited stricter background checks and greater financial requirements for international student applications.

Anita Anand, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, reiterated that Canada stands firm in accepting Indian students, while “protecting the integrity of our immigration system.”

The Indian Embassy in Ottawa has acknowledged the growing percentage of visa refusals. They recognized that Indian students are among the best academic achievers globally.

A spokesperson mentioned,

“Historically, Canadian universities have benefited from the talent and academic excellence of Indian students.”

The Embassy has then called on both nations to work together to maintain educational partnerships and ensure fair consideration of legitimate applicants.

Declining Enrollment Numbers in Canadian Universities

The visa rejections have specifically contributed to university enrolments. Prestigious institutions such as the University of Waterloo—for its strong engineering programs—have experienced a two-thirds decline in Indian student enrolments in the past four years.

Ian VanderBurgh, Associate Vice-President for Strategic Enrolment Management at Waterloo, attributed the decline in Indian students to the visa restrictions and government-imposed caps on the number of international students being accepted.

Similar experiences have occurred at the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan, where Indian enrolments have noticeably dropped.

A Troubling Situation for Indian Applicants

For many Indian students who saw Canada as an excellent chance to pursue study, the current experience produces fresh concerns. The combination of political pressure, fraud investigations, and policy restrictions produces uncertainty in the global education system.

Canada states that these policies are meant to promote fairness and protect the integrity of the system, but the consequences almost exclusively have impacted motivated Indian students pursuing international education.

As this story develops, it remains the most discussed topic in the recent news updates about international education and India-Canada Relations.