In a positive report emerging from Chandigarh, it is seen that the number of Indian students applying for study in Canada has decreased by nearly a dramatic 40 percent in the latter half of 2023.
For the period from July to October, the number of applications for new study permits from India dropped from a total of 145,881 last year to just 86,562 in the same period of 2023. Also, recently more and more international students had been posting on social media about the hardships they faced in Canada, specifically calling out the high cost of living and lack of opportunities promised.
This fall, however, is not only related to the ever rifting relationships between the two nations since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau since his statement about “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents of the killing of Khalistani figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar only surfaced on September 18, when the trend was already much apparent.
This impact is a summation of multiple factors like political tensions, visa refusal from Canadian authorities, a lack of job opportunities, and high cost of living. Another factor is the ever rising cost of sending students to Canada which is expected to rise soon by another 6.5 lakh rupees, a situation which makes middle class parents reconsider their kids’ college choices.
This is the first decline in international student applications from India since the Covid-19 pandemic. And growing tension in the relationship between India and Canada is unlikely to improve the situation.
