Three times the rejection rate of China, Canada cracks down on Indian student visas: they're really tired of being cheated by Indians.

These two days, I saw a news article on Reuters stating that Canada's visa policy has completely changed recently. Canada, which once opened its arms to students and immigrants from all countries, saying "Study, work, stay" (Study, work, stay), is now tightening, even closing the door to foreign students and immigrants.

Who is it closing the door to? Indians.

Reuters cited data released by the Canadian government, stating that currently, the rejection rate for Chinese students is 24%, while the rejection rate for Indian students has soared to 74%.

What does this mean? This means that out of every four Indians who want to study in Canada, three cannot get a visa. This rejection rate is almost three times that of Chinese applicants.

Canada's immigration office has truly taken a tough stance. The reason behind it is simple: they are really tired of being cheated by Indians.

The report mentioned that over the past 10 years, India has been Canada's largest source of international students. A large number of Indian young people have viewed Canada as a stepping stone to achieve their "North American dream."

But now, this stepping stone is about to be cut off.

In August 2023, the rejection rate for Indian students was 32%. Just one year later, by August 2025, this number had surged to 74%.

At the same time, the number of Indian applicants applying for study permits dropped from 20,900 in August 2023 to 4,515 in August 2025. It's not just because the rejection rate in Canada has increased, but many Indians have stopped applying due to the change in trend.

Additionally, in August this year, the average rejection rate for all international students in Canada was 40%, while India's 74% was unique. Compared to this, China's 24% is already low.

Why specifically India?

This time, the Canadian government and immigration officials did not play any official rhetoric. They directly pointed out that the core purpose of tightening the policy is to combat fraud related to Indian student visas.

Previously, the slogan of the Canadian immigration system was "Come to study, come to work, and you're a Canadian."

The underlying message of this slogan was: getting a study permit is just the first step, obtaining permanent residency in Canada is the goal.

But in the largest market for Indian students, this unspoken rule has been abused by some unscrupulous agents and applicants in India.

To the eyes of the Canadian immigration authorities, many Indians coming with study permits are not here to study seriously; their real purpose is: to get an "entry ticket" into Canada as quickly and cheaply as possible.

A study advisor revealed that visa officers no longer just rely on your bank statements. They require proof of the source of funds. A simple statement like "My father gave me the money" is no longer sufficient.

Why?

Because Canada discovered that the financial fraud among Indians is extremely serious: many bank documents are forged, or they simply do not have the ability to pay tuition and living expenses.

Moreover, some Indian applicants attend educational institutions that are promoted by agents as "stepping stones to top universities," commonly known as "diploma mills." These institutions provide substandard degrees and education, just to extend the duration of stay.

Canadian visa officers believe that many Indian applicants' learning plans and major choices have nothing to do with their previous educational backgrounds, clearly indicating that they chose these fields just to work in Canada.

There was a time when Canada turned a blind eye to this, benefiting from the huge economic income generated by the education industry. But now, these fake Indian students have severely occupied local housing, medical care, and other public resources, making Canadian society overwhelmed.

When the host family also has no grain left, it's natural that they can't allow a bunch of people taking advantage to come in and take advantage of them anymore.

Facing this awkward situation, the mindset of the rejected Indians has also undergone a subtle change.

A Indian student who came to Canada in 2015 to study mechanical engineering said he still clearly remembers the slogan on the Canadian government's promotional poster: "Come to study, come to work, and you're a Canadian."

This sentence used to be the greatest motivation and enthusiasm for him and his Indian compatriots to pursue their dreams in Canada.

But now, that enthusiasm has turned sour.

He said that some of his Indian friends have recently had their Canadian study visa applications rejected.

But surprisingly, these people didn't feel very discouraged, and even felt a bit "relieved."

Why? Because whether it's getting permanent residency in Canada or finding a decent job there, it's becoming increasingly difficult.

So, if they are rejected at the first stage of the visa application, it's not necessarily a bad thing. At least, Canada's actions help reduce the sunk cost for Indians.

However, this also reflects a problem on the side: most Indians who apply for study permits are not actually coming to study in India. Once they find out they can't stay or find good jobs, their desire to move to Canada naturally fades away.

Canada's tightening of the visa is essentially a "corrective movement" against the past decade's excessive reliance on international students and ignoring social carrying capacity.

But it also serves as a warning to foreign applicants, especially Indians, who want to immigrate through studying: if you are not a genuine student, but just looking for a quick immigration channel, then Canada has closed the door for you.

Although I have never had much affection for Canada, I must admit that I can understand their approach in this case.

It's not that Canada is heartless, but certain people and unscrupulous agents in India have gone too far.

The 74% rejection rate is more of a slap in the face for the system's fraud than discrimination.

The road obtained by deception will ultimately not lead anywhere. If you were not genuinely coming to study, then being rejected now is just getting what you deserve.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569499607789552182/

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