Canada says drop in study permits to Indian students ‘unlikely' to rebound soon

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Canada to set a cap on international students amid housing crisis, fix 'out of control' system In October, Canada was forced to pull 41 diplomats, or two-thirds of its staff, out of India on orders from New Delhi. In addition, the dispute has prompted Indian students to seek to study in other countries, a spokeswoman for the minister said. Those factors led to an 86% drop in study permits issued to Indians in the fourth quarter of last year from the previous quarter, to 14,910 from 108,940, according to official data that have not been previously reported.

C. Gurusubramanian, counselor for the High Commission of India in Ottawa, said some Indian international students were looking at other options besides Canada due to "concerns, in the recent past, regarding lack of residential and adequate teaching facilities" at some Canadian institutions. Also Read | Canada limits international student count: Check 5 other nations offering great courses at affordable fee Indians have formed the largest group of international students in Canada in recent years, with more than 41% - or 225,835 - of all permits going to them in 2022.

"I can't tell you about how the diplomatic relationship will evolve, particularly if police were to lay charges," Miller said. "It's not something that I see any light at the end of the tunnel on." International students are a cash cow for Canadian universities as they bring in about C$22 billion ($16.4 billion) annually and slowdown will be a blow to the institutions. In June, Canada said there were "credible" allegations linking Indian agents to the murder of Nijjar in a Vancouver suburb.

India has rejected that allegation. Canadian authorities have yet to charge anyone for the killing. Last year, the