Canadian permits for Indian students dropped by 86% amid diplomatic row

NT Bureau, Agencies

New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing diplomatic dispute between Ottawa and New Delhi that began in September, Canada has witnessed a significant decline in the issuance of study permits to Indian students, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday.

The strained relationship between India and Canada escalated in September when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of involvement in the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver in June.

New Delhi categorically dismissed the allegation as "absurd" and "politically driven."

According to data cited by Reuters, study permits issued to Indian students plummeted from 1.08 lakh in the third quarter of 2023 to 14,910 in the quarter ending December 31—a staggering 86% decrease.

This decline is attributed not only to a reduced number of Indian students applying to study in Canada but also to India's expulsion of Canadian diplomats who played a role in processing such permits.

In response to India's threat to withdraw diplomatic immunity, Canada had withdrawn 41 of its 62 diplomats from India.

Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller, acknowledging the impact on the processing of applications from India, stated, "Our relationship with India has really halved our ability to process a lot of applications from India."

He indicated that the issuance of study permits to Indians is unlikely to increase in the near future.

C Gurusubramanian, a counselor at the Indian High Commission in Ottawa, highlighted that Indians seeking to study abroad are exploring alternative destinations due to "the lack of residential and adequate teaching facilities" at certain educational institutions in Canada.

In 2014, approximately 38,000 Indians traveled to Canada for educational purposes. This number surged to 3.19 lakh in 2022, with the majority pursuing undergraduate degrees.