Canada student visa restrictions study abroad

Canada student visa restrictions: Implications on Indian Students

1. Canada student visa restrictions:
Implications on Indian Students

Canada to tighten student visa rules in the year 2025 because of an acute paucity of
accommodation and infrastructure cramming under the weight of an international
student influx over the last ten years. The federal government has placed a cap on
the number of international student study permits granted — 437,000 for 2025, which
represents a 10% reduction from this year — in an effort to reduce pressure on
housing, health care and other public services. This blog will discuss in detail the
Canada student visa restriction in 2025 and its impact on the Indian students
particularly.
Housing Shortage Impact on Visa Policy
The news “Canada to tighten student visa” is not just a random policy change it is
backed by the housing shortage problem in Canada.
●​More than 55% of international students, many of them from India, face
difficulty finding appropriate and affordable places to live in Canada. This
housing squeeze is further compounded by increasing rents, lack of rentable

2. accommodation and the systematic discrimination experienced by
international students, particularly in high-demand rental markets.
●​The government has pointed to these housing issues as a major reason for
introducing the study permit caps. By controlling the seeming flood of
international students, Canada is hoping to curb the demand on housing as
well as the strain on public services in the major hubs for students. ●​As well as these housing issues, research suggests that international students
are financially vulnerable due to inflating living costs, with close to a third of
students concerned about the financial pressures of keeping up with rent and
living costs.
Overview of Canada Student Visa Restrictions in 2025

●​Study Permit Cap:
Canada set a limit on the annual issuance of study permits for international
students. For 2025, the cap is fixed at 437,000 permits, 10% lower than 2024
(485,000), and significantly smaller than in former years. This cap is projected
to be in place until 2026 to ensure the flow of migration and the allocation of
resources. This cap has had a particularly large impact on Indian students,
who are the largest category of international students in Canada. ●​Drop in Indian Student Visas:
In the first quarter of 2025, there has been a 31% decline in the number of
student visas issued to Indian nationals year-on-year. Indian students

3. received only 30,640 study permits in the first three months of 2025 against
44,295 in the same period in 2019. In all, the Indian permits fell from 278,045
in 2023 to 188,465 in 2024.
●​Increased Financial Requirements:
Canadian Government Has Doubled Proof of Funds for Study Permit
Applicants And Over the last few years from January 1, 2024, the students
have to show that they have access to the CA$20,635 (INR 12,716,32.50)
instead of the old CA$10,000. This GIC condition is said to be a significant
financial barrier for many Indian middle-class families and for banks and
financial institutions who are now more reluctant to pay out loans to the
Canada-bound students. ●​Student Direct Stream (SDS) Closed:
In November 2024, Canada shut down the Student Direct Stream program
through which students with sufficient financial ability “in the bank” were
offered fast-paced processing for a study visa. Its shutdown has compounded
delays and challenges for Indian students obtaining study permits.
●​Enhanced Verification and Scrutiny:
Designated learning institutions (DLIs) need to confirm an applicant's
acceptance before the visa process goes any further, according to the new
rule, in effect since December 2023. Canada also expanded the discretion of
border officers to cancel or refuse visas or permits if they believe that a
person is likely to stay beyond their permitted time or use visas
inappropriately. Consequently, there has been a rise in the number of visa
rejections, cancellations and confusion among Indian students already in
Canada and those planning to apply.
●​Tighter Compliance and Work Permit Restrictions after imposing of Canada
student visa restrictions:
The government is also limiting international students’ eligibility for work
permits, in a move particularly aimed at private colleges and disreputable
institutions that might seek to abuse the visa system. This is in an attempt to
crack down on the system in the name of the education and to ensure
students come to Canada with legitimate academic and not use education just
to seek temporary residency as a non-genuine student.
Canada Student Visa Eligibility Requirements (2025)

4. Canada to tighten student visa and will it change the Canada student Visa eligibility?
Let’s understand the new rules now. If Indian students want to apply for a Canada
student visa (study permit) in 2025, they need to meet some of the important
eligibility criteria of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These
are requirements that prove the applicants are true students and will not be a
financial burden to host. The main eligibility conditions are:
1. Acceptance by a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
●​You need an acceptance letter from a Canadian DLI that has a
PGWP-compliant program, and the letter should state you are accepted into
one such program. ●​The letter is a mandatory document for your study permit application.
●​Most students will also need a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL
or TAL) as confirmation of a spot that has been reserved for you under the
student cap.
2. Proof of Sufficient Funds
●​You must show that you have ''enough money'' to cover your tuition fees,
living costs, and the cost of returning to your home country.
●​A minimum of CAD 22,895 is required as bank balance for personal expenses
in a year while studying in Canada (outside of Quebec) plus the education fee
for one year.
●​Evidence of sufficient and available funds may include bank statements,
Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC), scholarships or educational loans.
3. Valid Passport
●​You need a valid passport for the entirety of your stay in Canada.
●​Depending on your nationality, you may also need a visa or eTA to enter
Canada.
4. Genuine Intent to Study
●​You have to satisfy the visa officer that your only motive to visit Canada is just
study.
●​That is usually done through a Statement of Purpose (SOP) which outlines
what you intend to study, why, what your long-term plans are, and what you’re
going to do upon returning to your home country.
5. Medical Examination

5. ●​Some medical checks by a panel-appointed doctor may be needed if you are
staying longer than six months.
●​This is to help ensure you meet health requirements and minimise any risk to
public health.
6. No Criminal Record
●​You should have a clear record and no criminal record.
●​Frequently a police clearance is called for to show no convictions.
7. Language Proficiency
●​Although you may not be asked by the visa office to present valid language
test scores for the visa application, most Canadian institutions will require
proof of English language proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and CAEL) in
support of your visa application.
8. Additional Eligibility for Minors
●​If you are under 18, caregiving must be established.
●​A local/notary attested guardian declaration form, to be fulfilled by a Canadian
contact or legal guardian.
9. Compliance with Immigration Laws
●​You need to have plans to return to Canada, or plans to apply for continuation
of any immigration privileges in Canada as soon as your intended studies
have been completed. ●​If applicable, clear compliance with former visa or immigration conditions is
likely.
Well you do not need to go through this complex process all by yourself- Take
assistance from Gateway international’s experts to smoothen your visa
apaproval journey.
Canada student visa restrictions in 2025: Implications
on Indian Students

6. ●​Reduced Opportunities and Increased Competition:
With the cap on study permits and increased focus, backing in fewer Indian
students getting visas, the move to apply gets more competitive and has
spawned higher stress among potential students and their families.
●​Financial Challenges:
Higher financial proof demand and reluctance of the banks to lend add to the
problem of funding education abroad for Indian families in many ways.
However, this economic obstacle prevents many qualified applicants from
being able to participate.
●​Uncertainty and Anxiety:

7. Those students who are already in Canada risk sudden visa cancellations that
then demand they leave the country immediately, uprooting their educational
and life goals. The uncertainty about refunds for prepaid tuition and living
costs compounds the misery.
●​Shift Towards Alternative Destinations:
In such a scenario, some Indian students are looking at other countries like
the US, UK and Australia for higher education due to stable conditions and
smoother visa regime.
●​Increased Documentation and Compliance are Required:
Students are told to keep very accurate records of their academic and
immigration-related compliance, ensuring that all applications and
documentation are current and reporting changes such as address or work
hours in a timely manner to authorities.
Conclusion
Stringent Canada student visa regulations from late 2023 up to 2025 have made the
environment of chaos for Indian students. These limitations are a result of national
regulations designed to manage temporary migration and safeguard the education
system. Despite the news “Canada to tighten student visa”, Canada is still seen as
an attractive destination but aspiring Indian students have to meet higher financial
thresholds and deal with limited visa quotas and increased scrutiny, which affect the
convenience and practicality of studying in the country. Erasmus alumnus from India
planning to study in Canada should be able to stay up to date with all sorts of
regulations and their changes and take into account that this is uncertain still – take
the time and assistance from Gateway International to plan wisely.