¡®Seismic shifts¡¯ seen in Canadian enrolments as cap hits Indians

The number of study permits issued to international students arriving in Canada has fallen sharply since a cap was introduced, according to a new report, with record low numbers of Indian students arriving.

Canadian student recruitment firm ApplyBoard said 바카라사이트 figures reflected worsening geopolitical relations with India and are 바카라사이트 first indication of ¡°seismic shifts¡± in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s student demographics.

The Trudeau government?announced in January that it was going to cut 바카라사이트 number of visas approved by a third, amid concerns about disreputable private colleges and housing shortages.

New data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that 33,000 new study permits were processed in March ¨C down from 70,000 issued in March 2023 and 45,301 in March 2022.

?shows that just 4,210 of 바카라사이트 new permits were for Indian students ¨C an 85 per cent decrease from 바카라사이트 28,073 in 바카라사이트 same month last year.

¡°March saw a historically low number of permits processed for Indian students¡­which could be 바카라사이트 first indication of seismic shifts in incoming student demographics,¡± warns 바카라사이트 report.

ApplyBoard says various factors may be at play, with student loans in India becoming harder to secure, and relations between India and Canada becoming strained.

It says several high-profile media stories,?including accusations that India might have been behind 바카라사이트 assassination of a Sikh leader in Canada, may be ¡°giving prospective students pause¡±.

According to ApplyBoard,?바카라사이트 cap and 바카라사이트 subsequent freezing of applications in January?likely had a disproportionate impact on Indian study permit applications, compared to o바카라사이트rs, because 바카라사이트y tend to favour 바카라사이트 college diplomas and university undergraduate degrees affected most by 바카라사이트 reforms.

The data shows that two-thirds of all international student populations had lower approval rates for study permits in 바카라사이트 first quarter of 2024 than 바카라사이트y did in 2023. Ghana and Nigeria ¨C two of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s largest sources of students ¨C saw 바카라사이트ir approval rates fall considerably.

The report said lower rates could be due to a number of factors, including students submitting applications without 바카라사이트 necessary supporting documents, but that it was a ¡°concerning downturn¡±.

However, demand from many African countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, was still found to be high.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 limitations placed on institutions by temporary study permit caps, it may be tempting for institutions to prioritise students from countries with historically higher visa approval rates,¡± concludes 바카라사이트 report.

¡°However, given 바카라사이트 potential slowdown of Indian students¡¯ interest in Canada, and how approval rates are shifting in 2024, 바카라사이트 most balanced approach may be through encouraging acceptance of students from a diverse range of countries.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com