Good News for '... Students'! Canada Eases Entry Rules — Here's What IDP Just Announced

After remaining shut for a year, the doors to Canada are gradually reopening for Indian students. The recent improvement in India-Canada relations has renewed hope for thousands aspiring to study abroad. According to study-abroad platforms, admissions of Indian students to Canadian colleges could rise by 20 to 30 per cent this year.

Canada-India Relations Ease Tensions

In the past years, due to diplomatic tensions, many students had to postpone their Canadian plans. At the same time, those who considered America as an option were stopped by the strict visa rules of the Trump government. In such a situation, the new warmth in India-Canada relations has brought a breeze of relief.

Hope Renewed for Students

This is a new hope for students like Riya Sharma of Delhi. Even after getting an offer for Fall 2024 from the University of Toronto, she postponed her studies due to visa uncertainty. But as soon as the situation changed, she applied again and is now going to start studying computer science.

Piyush Kumar Shares His Views

Adarsh ​​Khandelwal, co-founder of study-abroad platform Collegify, says that after the tension reduced, there has been a 31% increase in active applications to Canada for Fall 2025. Sanjay Laul, founder of MSM Group, said that during the diplomatic tension, the interest of students had declined by 10–12%, but now the picture is changing. Piyush Kumar, Regional Director of IDP Education, says. Canada has always been a favourite destination for students. The atmosphere that is being created now is bringing back the confidence of the students.

US Visa Process Hits a Roadblock

At the same time, in 2023, visa approvals from India to Canada fell by 42% from 2.26 lakh to 1.31 lakh. In the first quarter of 2025, it fell by another 31%, but now recovery is expected. Consulting platforms like MSM and Masterclass Space say that the visa process and rules in the US have become very complicated, due to which even students with good profiles are facing uncertainty. That is why Canada is now becoming a more stable and reliable option. IDP Education says that Indian students are still showing more interest in countries like Canada, the US, the UK and Australia, but at this time Canada seems to be the favourite again.