Canada Rejects Nearly Two-Thirds of Study Permit Applications in 2025
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Canada’s study permit approval rate has plunged to its lowest in over a decade, with new government figures showing nearly two-thirds of international student applicants being refused this year.
Data obtained by The PIE reveals that between January and July 2025, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rejected 62% of all study permit applications. Approval rates have fallen sharply to just 38% this year, down from 48% in 2024, following the introduction of strict study permit caps.
Jonathan Sherman, vice president of sales and partnerships at BorderPass, described the shift as “fundamental”, noting that IRCC is applying “far greater scrutiny” to applications.
Indian students, who make up around 40% of Canada’s international student body, have been disproportionately affected. BorderPass data shows four in five Indian applicants were rejected in the second quarter of 2025, raising concern among institutions reliant on this demographic.
While there has been a modest spring rebound in approval rates, experts warn Canada risks meeting only one-fifth of its international student target for the year.
Financial readiness has emerged as a key factor behind refusals. Canada doubled its proof-of-funds requirement from CAD 10,000 in 2023 to CAD 20,635 in 2024, with officers frequently citing insufficient resources for tuition and living costs. In 53% of refusals, officers said they were unconvinced applicants would leave the country based on financial assets.
Other leading refusal reasons include doubts about temporary intent, a lack of family ties abroad, and concerns that students intend to remain in Canada permanently.
The government’s wider immigration policy has also come under scrutiny. For the first time, temporary resident caps were included in Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to reduce temporary residents to 5% of the population by 2027.
Immigration lawyers suggest pressure to cut backlogs and meet government targets is contributing to the sharp decline in approvals. Despite new IRCC hires, experts caution that processing delays may worsen before improving.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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