Indian students aspiring to study in Canada are facing major challenges as study permit approvals are expected to drop by nearly 50% in 2024 due to Canadian government measures to limit the number of foreign students.
A report by ApplyBoard, set to be published by The Globe and Mail, revealed that study permit approvals from India halved in the first half of the year, with overall approvals projected to return to pre-2018 levels.
The report predicts that new study permits will fall to just over 231,000 by the end of 2024, a significant decrease from the 436,000 approved in 2023. Stricter financial requirements and immigration policies are discouraging international students, with many now opting for other countries like the US and Germany.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller introduced higher financial proof requirements in December 2023 and capped international student numbers for the next two years, leading to a 35% reduction in student intake. Postgraduate applications have also been hit, with study permit approvals down 48% in the first half of 2024.
