Although solely 2,181 Indian college students enrolled in universities throughout Canada in 2000, that quantity jumped to a mammoth 128,928 in 2021, a 5800% development within the final 20 years.
By 2023, the variety of worldwide college students in Canada stood at over 4,20,000, in line with knowledge launched by India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs,
Indian college students made up 49% of all worldwide college students in Canada within the first half of 2024, in line with authorities knowledge, a determine that has dropped by half when in comparison with 2023.
Although a diplomatic row between India and Canada led to the latter withdrawing dozens of diplomats from the South Asian nation, current coverage modifications have led to many Indian college students steering away from the nation.
“We have now noticed a notable lower in submitted research allow functions from India, indicating a decline in curiosity amongst potential college students,” Priyanka Roy, senior recruitment advisor at York College, instructed The PIE Information.
“Regardless of intensive efforts by establishments, together with hiring in-country representatives and implementing focused branding and advertising initiatives, this drop persists.”
In line with Roy, although the IRCC rules, modifications in work permits, and political discord between Canada and India have contributed to a shift in attitudes, the establishment is taking proactive steps to deal with the problems.
“We’re prioritising direct engagement with potential college students and their households by means of webinars, info periods, and Q&A boards,” stated Roy.
“Moreover, we’re strengthening our partnerships with faculties and steerage counselors in India to make sure correct info reaches college students.”
With the Canadian federal election anticipated within the subsequent 12 months, the nation is grappling with a rising anti-immigration sentiment, the brunt of which is being confronted by worldwide college students.
Final month, the Canadian authorities introduced additional limits on worldwide research permits issued for the 2025 consumption.
We’re prioritising direct engagement with potential college students and their households by means of webinars, info periods, and Q&A boards
Priyanka Roy, York College
A further 10% discount from the 2024 goal of 485,000 to 437,000 in 2025, which incorporates caps on grasp’s and doctoral college students, was introduced.
Much more just lately, the federal government launched new post-graduate work allow standards, stopping people graduating from college-level or sure college packages from accessing a PGWP, except their research align with the federal government’s new area of research necessities, due to this fact making them eligible for PGWP alternatives.
Language necessities for all PGWP candidates have been additionally launched beneath the brand new measures.
Regardless of the current modifications resulting in some uncertainty, Pranav Rathi, affiliate director, worldwide recruitment and market improvement, Fanshawe Faculty, stays considerably optimistic when contemplating the 5 broad areas of PGWP-eligible packages.
“A silver lining might be realised in high-demand areas, and whereas this contains STEM, it additionally contains building, trades, and well being care, all of that are areas the place faculties excel,” stated Rathi.
“Whereas a graduate from a college credential is granted a PGWP whatever the research undertaken, the relevance of a level in lots of areas will restrict the flexibility of the scholar to safe employment immediately from greater training.”
With greater than half of its pupil cohort composed of worldwide college students, Fanshawe sees India as a key recruitment market and is prepared to take care of a robust presence there.
“Whereas particular modifications could also be evolving, a number of strategic measures are being thought of and applied. To assist applicant planning, we now have a turnaround time of 24 hours to concern provide letters and attestation letters for the market,” stated Rathi.
“We have now launched extra seats and new packages aligning with the labour market which incorporates topics like STEM, culinary, well being and human service, meals expertise, building, and we proceed to work actively with our employer advisory our bodies.”
Although knowledge recommend the drop in numbers has impacted a number of the largest regional markets for pupil mobility to Canada in India, the downturn might be short-term.
“The present decline is basically as a result of notion of Canada’s model, which has been impacted by numerous exterior elements,” stated Rathi.
“Rebuilding this curiosity would require reshaping the narrative, emphasising that Canada stays totally open and welcoming to worldwide college students.”
In line with Saurabh Malhotra, CEO and founder, Scholar Direct, the drop in numbers from their largest market might additionally imply Canadian establishments can’t take India without any consideration anymore.
“There was a time when India was seen as a market Canadian establishments can take without any consideration. Although India stays a rustic with one of many highest visa approvals to Canada, we’ll see extra establishments courting real, high quality college students from India in the long term.”
Contemplating its place as the most important worldwide pupil cohort, Indian college students have been spearheading protests towards the Canadian authorities’s insurance policies.
Whereas lots of of them took to the streets of Ontario and different provinces in 2022 to protest deportation notices for alleged fraudulent paperwork, many are actually agitating towards modifications associated to PGWP.
“Many college students who’re protesting now assume that they don’t have the identical immigration pathways as earlier than,” stated Malhotra.
“Although that is due to a number of the fraud we now have seen up to now few years relating to paperwork, it takes a number of years for the Canadian authorities to analyze such circumstances.”
Malhotra is anxious Canada has outsourced its model to companies which might be solely invested in sending college students to a vacation spot for immigration.
“It’s necessary that Canada manufacturers itself as a research vacation spot, communicates with extra college students immediately, and understands their wants.”
Ajay Sharma, president and founding father of Abhinav Immigration Companies, recommended that such a decline in pupil mobility might be reversed as soon as the federal government achieves its immigration targets.
“This (curb on worldwide college students) will all change in 2026 when the numbers of short-term residents ratio to populations is anticipated to be aligned with the federal government plans,” he stated.
“The stringent and sudden impulsive change in insurance policies – whichever the nation – supplies a short-term reprieve however damages the nations’ medium to long-term demographic projections.”
