Canada study permit approvals for Indian students in 2024 may be reduced below 50%: 2024 

Indian students hoping to study in Canada are bracing for a challenging year, as a recent report by ApplyBoard indicates that study permit approvals may be reduced by nearly 50%.

These projections reflect Canadian federal initiatives aimed at limiting the influx of foreign students, potentially bringing approval rates down to levels not seen since 2018 and 2019. The report is scheduled for publication on Tuesday, as The Globe and Mail reported.

Major changes in 2024

During the first half of 2024, approvals for study permits from India dropped by half, suggesting a continuation of this trend for the remainder of the year. According to ApplyBoard, by the end of 2024, just over 231,000 new study permits will be granted, a sharp decrease from the 436,000 issued in 2023, according to India Today.

The report predicts a 39% decrease in global applications for Canadian study permits compared to the previous year. In 2022, Indian students represented a significant portion of the international student population in Canada, with 226,000 of 550,000 international students originating from India. Currently, around 320,000 Indians reside in Canada on student visas, making notable contributions to the economy as gig workers.

Meti Basiri, CEO and co-founder of ApplyBoard cited the Canadian government's recent policy changes—particularly the increase in financial requirements for prospective students as a deterrent for many applicants. Previous requirements of CAD 10,000 were raised to CAD 20,635 ( from Rs 6,18,654 to Rs12,76,592), a move intended to reflect the rising cost of living in Canada.

What else changed in 2024?

Moreover, in January 2024, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a cap on the growth of international student numbers for the following two years, predicting a 35% reduction in student intake for 2024 compared to 2023. As a result, if current trends persist, the Canadian government's target of approving 364,000 study permits in 2024, based on a cap of 606,000 applications, may remain unmet.

Given the annual trend of approximately 20% of students applying for extensions—accounting for around 97,000 permits—the adjusted target for new international students now stands at 364,000, nearly 47% lower than last year's approvals.

Applications for postgraduate programs, including master's and doctoral studies—not subject to the government's cap—have also experienced a decline. Between January and June 2024, only 114,000 study permits were approved, marking a significant 48% drop compared to the same period in the previous year. The second quarter of 2024 saw a 54% decrease in processed applications from the previous year’s figures.

An IRCC spokesperson confirmed that early indicators suggest the newly imposed cap is already influencing the volume of study permit applications.