look news india
Getting a visa to study in Canada has become a tough task. Visa rules have been tightened here and fewer study permits are being issued to foreign students. Australia and Britain are also considering bringing in a similar rule. Experts say that due to the current situation, the number of Indian students in these countries may decrease in 2025. Indian students are gradually getting disillusioned with these three countries.
After the visa rules became strict in Canada, Britain and Australia, students studying abroad have now started going to other countries. They have found a solution to this problem themselves and are now turning to countries like Romania, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, New Zealand and Malta. But a large number of Indian students go to study in these countries. But the number of students going to study here is less than that of Canada, Australia and Britain.
Canada slows down study visa approval
Canada has cut study visa approvals by 35% for 2024 and announced a further cut of 10% in 2025. “The massive cut of 35% by Canada could leave around 80,500 Indian students without a study permit in 2024, indicating a massive drop in enrolments,” said Adarsh Khandelwal, co-founder of Collegify. Experts say another 23,000 students could be impacted next year.
There are strict rules for foreign students in Britain too
Britain has recently increased the minimum amount of money that foreign students must keep in their bank accounts. Students coming to Britain to study will have to show that they have money in their account, which they will spend during their studies and stay. Foreign students will have to show their bank statement while taking a visa. Strict conditions were imposed in January itself and now the amount to be kept as savings has also been increased.
In January, the British government said that foreign students cannot bring their dependents (spouse or parents) to the UK on a study visa. Only postgraduate researchers were exempted from this. According to experts, about 40% of Indian students in the UK live with dependents. Khandelwal of Collegify said, “Postgraduate applications from India are expected to fall by 15-20%.” He said that increasing the amount of savings will put additional financial pressure on students.
Australia has also limited the number of foreign students
Australia has recently decided that it will allow only a few foreign students to come to its country. Only 2,70,000 foreign students will get study visas in Australia every year from 2025. Visa requirements have been tightened and eligibility criteria have also been increased. Saurabh Arora, Founder and CEO of University Living, said, 'The recent reduction in the entry threshold for study permits in major destinations such as Canada, Australia and the UK is creating a more selective environment for Indian students.'
According to University Living, between 2021 and 2023, Spain is set to see the number of international students grow by more than 28%, while Germany sees a rise of nearly 13% and, outside of Europe, New Zealand and Dubai both see growth of around 10%.