The percentage of international students from India in Canada has witnessed a steep decline. In fact, while the percentage was above 50% in 2023, it came down to merely 8.1% by September 2025. This was revealed in a report submitted to Parliament by the Auditor General of Canada.
The report on the International Student Program Reform also revealed that there were gaps in oversight, even as there were significant reductions in the number of new study permit holders following recent policy changes. According to data, while the percentage of international students from India was at a high of 51.6% in 2023, it came down to 33.6% in 2024 and then plummeted in 2025.
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Integrity concerns and reduced approvals
Auditor General Karen Hogan stated that that while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had taken steps to curb the number of new study permits, it had “fallen short in other key areas.”
The report also stated that between 2023 and 2024, more than 153,000 students were identified as potentially non-compliant with the conditions of their study permit, but the authorities only had the capacity to deal with 2,000 cases every year.
Fraud cases and policy tightening
The report also stated that out of a sample of investigations, it was found that 800 study permits issued between 2018 and 2023 contained applications where individuals used fraudulent documents or misrepresented themselves.
In a sample of investigations, the report found that 800 study permits issued between 2018 and 2023 involved applicants who used fraudulent documents or misrepresented information.
Of these, 710 applicants claimed education credentials from institutions later found to be non-existent or engaged in selling qualifications, raising concerns about systemic loopholes. However, it was also stated that not enough action was being taken against individuals, as it was found that some of them have since applied for asylum.
Sharp fall in study permits issued
Canada had aggressively promoted itself as a study destination since 2019, with applications rising 121% from around 426,000 in 2019 to nearly 943,000 in 2023.
However, amid mounting pressure over rising temporary migration, the government moved to tighten approvals.
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In 2024, Canada approved 149,559 study permits, far below its projection of 348,900
By September 2025, approvals dropped further to 50,370 against a forecast of 255,360
Approval rates also declined from 58% in 2023 to 41% in 2024 and 38% in 2025, with the report noting that authorities were unable to fully explain the drop.
