Canada is proving once again that it does not know the meaning of balance. First, it flung the floodgates wide open, letting in a torrent of students without adequate screening. Along with the genuine seekers of education, criminals and fraudsters found easy passage, some of whom today are contributing to Canada’s own law and order problems. Now, in a classic overreaction, Ottawa has swung the pendulum to the other extreme — shrinking the orifice so tight that even legitimate students can’t squeeze through.
The numbers tell the story. In the first half of 2025, 62% of all study-permit applications were refused, the highest rejection rate in over a decade. For Indian students — Canada’s single largest cohort — the figure was worse: 80% rejection in Q2. This isn’t policy; this is whiplash. One year, you’re welcomed with open arms, the next, you’re told the doors are slammed shut.
The irony is brutal. Canada grew addicted to international student dollars, particularly from India, to sustain its colleges and second-tier institutions, ghost Universities. These institutions built entire business models on luring students, while the federal government happily pocketed the tuition cash inflows. But without quality control, the “open floodgate” era allowed all manner of shady recruitment practices and bogus admissions. Some who entered under this lax regime now populate the very criminal networks that Canada laments.
Instead of admitting its regulatory failure, the Carney government has chosen collective punishment. By tightening financial thresholds, imposing arbitrary attestation caps, and wielding the vague excuse of “not convinced you will leave after studies,” Ottawa is strangling opportunity for genuine students.
Families who sold land and invested their savings in the Canadian dream are now left in limbo, punished for past policy mistakes they had no hand in making.
This policy lurch comes at a cost beyond Indian households. Universities and colleges across Canada are already seeing enrolments plunge, threatening their finances. Employers who relied on skilled graduates will soon feel the pinch. And Canada’s global reputation as a reliable study destination is taking a battering. Students are not cattle to be herded in and out based on the whims of a ministry memo. They want stability, predictability, and fairness — qualities sorely missing in Ottawa today.
Is former Member of Punjab Public Service Commission
A farmer and keen observer of current affairs
The truth is clear: Canada’s problem was never the students. It was the government’s inability to regulate its own system — first reckless indulgence, then reckless restriction.
From floodgates to a choked orifice, Canada’s student visa policy has become a caricature of inconsistency. Unless Prime Minister Carney finds the middle ground, Canada risks losing both credibility abroad and control at home.