Permits to Indian students dropped amid diplomatic row: Canadian minister
A diplomatic dispute between India and Canada has led to an 86% drop in study permits issued to Indian students by the country in the last quarter of 2023, Reuters reported citing official data. Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller confirmed the report. "Our relationship with India has halved our ability to process a lot of applications from India," he said. Miller claimed that the situation was unlikely to reverse soon.
Why does this story matter?
Canada has been the most preferred study destination for Indians. However, the trend seems to be diminishing amid a diplomatic row. Bilateral ties between India and Canada nosedived in September 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged New Delhi's involvement in the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen. Although Indo-Canadian ties have relatively stabilized, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently said that the key concern for India was the space given to radicalization in Canada.
Diplomatic tensions, and their impact
In October, India demanded Canada withdraw 41 diplomats, or two-thirds of its staff, from the country. This move and concerns about facilities at some Canadian institutions have prompted Indian students to consider other study destinations, Counselor for the High Commission of India in Ottawa C Gurus Ubramanian told Reuters. This has led to an 86% drop in study permits issued to Indians in the fourth quarter of last year from the previous quarter, official data said.
Indian students form largest group in Canada
In recent years, Indian students have made up the largest group of international students in Canada, with over 41% (225,835) of all permits going to them in 2022. The decline in permits will financially impact Canadian universities, as international students contribute around C$22 billion ($16.4 billion) annually, reports said. Miller stated there is no "light at the end of the tunnel" regarding the diplomatic relationship between India and Canada.
Canadian government's plan to reduce international student intake
Meanwhile, to address an ongoing housing shortage and other issues for students, the Canadian government plans to introduce measures during the first half of this year. It has decided to reduce the number of international students entering the country, including a possible cap. Many international students choose Canada because getting work permits after completing courses is relatively simple. The government plans to improve postgraduate work permits and also take action against "fly-by-night" universities known as designated learning institutes.
