Diplomatic row between India and Canada: Student visas processed by Canada down 42% in Q4 2023: report
Diplomatic row between India and Canada: An unexpected turn of events has put diplomatic relations between India and Canada under severe strain, raising concerns about the future of the bilateral partners
Diplomatic row between India and Canada: An unexpected turn of events has put diplomatic relations between India and Canada under severe strain, raising concerns about the future of the bilateral partnership. Earlier, tensions flared between India and Canada after the two countries, with Canada accusing India of killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey last year and the latter denying the accusation as “absurd” and “motivated”. Meanwhile, the expulsion of 41 Canadian diplomats from India during the height of diplomatic tensions between the two countries last year has led to an unexpected aftermath. Speaking of student visas, in the last quarter of 2023, Canada experienced a significant drop of almost 42 percent in the number of completed applications for Indian student permits compared to the October-December 2022 period, as shown by the latest data from the Het Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) portal, reports IndianExpress.
In the October-December 2023 period, Canada processed only 69,203 permit applications from Indian students, a notable decline from the 1.19 lakh applications processed in the corresponding period in 2022. This represents a significant decrease. Moreover, the total number of permits approved by Canadian authorities for Indian students has fallen from 363,000 in 2022 to 307,000 in 2023, a decline of 15 percent over the year. Canada issues study permits to international students for programs and courses lasting a minimum of six months, with the majority of permits held by students enrolled in colleges and universities.
The drop in numbers was expected when the IRCC raised concerns about possible visa processing timelines in its notice dated October 19, 2023. This happened shortly after Canada ordered the immediate return of 41 of the total 62 diplomats, along with their families (dependents). ), from India.
To curb the impact of international students on housing and tackle institutional 'bad actors', Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced earlier in January a cap on the number of student visas to be granted over the next two years. By 2024, the federal government plans to approve 3,60,000 undergraduate study permits, which will reduce the number by 35 percent from 2023. This decision by the Canadian federal government will have a major impact on Indian students.
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