India-Canada diplomatic reset boosts student confidence
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Reset in diplomatic relations between India and Canada has restored confidence among Indian students and parents, with most study-abroad platforms expecting a 20-30% increase in admissions in Canadian colleges this year.The latest improvement in bilateral ties comes as a huge relief for students who had to stall their Canada study plans for more than a year. It also marks a blessing for those who had shortlisted the US as their only overseas study option but were forced to consider other destinations due to stricter visa and immigration rules adopted by the Donald Trump administration earlier this year.Rhea Sharma, a Delhi-based student, who had deferred her Fall 2024 offer from the University of Toronto due to visa uncertainty is now busy packing her bags. 'Following the improved bilateral climate, she reactivated her application and is now headed to study Computer Science this Fall,' said Adarsh Khandelwal, co-founder, Collegify, a study-abroad platform that helped with the admission.'Since the easing of tensions, we have observed a 31% increase in active Canadian applications for the Fall 2025 intake,' said Khandelwal.Study permit approvals for Canada from India plunged 42% to 131,000 in 2023 from 226,000 in the year before, according to IRCC/Immigration, Refugees And Citizenship Canada/ data. Approvals fell a further 31% in Q1 2025 to 30,640 permits but experts predict a recovery in the coming quarters.MSM Group, a study-abroad consulting firm, saw a 10-12% drop in Indian students' interest in Canadian academic institutions due to the diplomatic standoff, said founder Sanjay Laul.'There's a growing sense that it's getting harder to navigate the visa process for the US. Even students with strong academic profiles are facing unpredictability,' said Laul, adding that the current scenario is turning Canada a more attractive destination for Indian students.Stricter visa policies introduced by Canada and tighter measures taken by the Trump government especially on limiting foreign student enrolment had cast a cloud of doubt and uncertainty, according to Atul Verma, co-founder, Masterclass Space.'The signal of improving diplomatic ties between India and Canada comes as a welcome whiff of fresh air,' he said.The current trends are all positive as there is an increase in student confidence and positive sentiment, noted Piyush Kumar, regional director, South Asia, IDP Education.'Canada has consistently remained a preferred destination, and this renewed engagement will contribute positively to students' plans for future intake,' said Kumar.He said IDP continues to see strong interest from Indian students in traditional English-speaking countries like Canada, the US, the UK and Australia.
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