Canada rejected 74% of Indian student visa applications in August

Canada rejected around 74% of study permit applications from India in August, Reuters reported on Monday, citing data from the country’s immigration department.

In August 2023, Canada’s rejection rate for Indian student visa applications was 32%.

The country’s overall refusal rate for student visa applications this year stood at about 40%, while applications from Chinese students faced a much lower rejection rate of 24%, Reuters reported.

The surge in refusals comes as the Canadian authorities tighten checks on fraudulent applications. In 2023, officials uncovered over 1,550 fake study permit applications, mostly involving forged acceptance letters issued by Indian education agents, Reuters reported.

Notably, this increase in rejections comes even as the number of applicants from India has declined. In August 2023, about 20,900 Indian students applied for study permits, compared with only 4,515 during the same period this year.

The spike in refusals of study permits also comes as Canada and India seek to mend ties after about two years of tension. Justin Trudeau, the prime minister at the time, had accused the Indian government of involvement in the 2023 murder of a Canadian citizen and Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia. India has denied the allegations.

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