Canada’s clampdown on international students has hit applicants from India particularly hard, government data shows, as what was once a preferred destination loses its allure for Indian students.

Canada lowered the number of international student permits it issues for the second year in a row in early 2025 as part of a broader effort to reduce the number of temporary migrants and address fraud related to student visas.

About 74% of Indian applications for permits to study at Canadian post-secondary institutions in August – the most recent month available – were rejected, compared to about 32% in August 2023, according to immigration department data provided to Reuters.

The number of Indian applicants has dropped, as well, from 20,900 in August 2023 – when Indians formed just over one qu

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