Massive Setback for Indian Students: 80% Canadian Visa Rejections in 2025, Students Now Turning to these Countries

New Delhi/Toronto(The Uttam Hindu): After the U.S. tightened rules for international students and H-1B visa holders, Canada has now imposed stricter measures for Indian applicants. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), nearly 80% of Indian student visa applications were rejected in 2025, marking the highest refusal rate in the past decade.

Official data shows that in 2024, only 1.88 lakh Indian students secured admission in Canada — almost half the number recorded two years earlier. This sharp decline has also impacted college enrollments across the country.

The rise in visa refusals is attributed to severe housing shortages, pressure on infrastructure, political factors, and new visa rules. Applicants are now required to show proof of at least CAD 20,000 in financial resources, along with a detailed study plan and language test certificates.

As a result, Indian students are shifting away from Canada and the U.S. towards other global destinations. Germany has emerged as the top choice, with 31% of students naming it as their first preference in 2024–25, compared to just 13.2% in 2022. In contrast, Canada’s popularity fell from 18% in 2022 to only 9% in 2024, while applications to U.S. universities also dropped by 13%.

Meanwhile, the Gulf region is rising as an affordable and practical alternative. Education hubs in Dubai and Qatar, hosting satellite campuses of top U.S. universities like Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, RIT, and Weill Cornell, are becoming attractive options for Indian students.

In 2022, the U.S. and Canada were the leading destinations for Indian students, but with new visa restrictions and changing policies, preferences are now rapidly shifting towards Europe and the Middle East.