Students Turn to Europe, Australia Amid Canada Visa Changes

Many Indian students are now choosing to study in Europe and Australia instead of Canada due to recent changes in Canada's visa rules, which are no longer as welcoming as before.

Last week, Canada ended its fast-track student visa program, called the Student Direct Stream (SDS), which had a quicker processing time and higher approval rates for Indian students. Canada also made changes to its Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) rules, making it harder for students to stay and work after graduation. This year, Canada also introduced a cap on the number of new international student permits, though this doesn’t affect master's and PhD students.

One student from Kerala, who had already paid for a course in Toronto, decided to withdraw because of these new restrictions. He chose to study in Ireland instead, where students can stay and work for two years after completing their studies.

Statistics show that India has the highest number of international students in Canada (around 4.27 lakh), followed by the US, UK, and Australia. However, more students are now considering countries like Ireland, France, New Zealand, and Australia. Consultants like Jessy Jose have seen a drop in Canadian applications this year compared to last year, with many students opting for countries with more flexible visa policies.

In response to growing immigration concerns, Canada has announced it will reduce the number of international student permits in the coming years, which has affected business for travel agents who were once heavily involved with Canadian visa applications. On the other hand, countries like Australia and the UK are seeing an increase in student interest.