In an effort to dispel common misconceptions about the nation's immigration and student visa laws, Canadian High Commissioner to India Chris Cooter stated on Monday that Canada is not closing its doors to Indian students and that this might be the "best time ever" to apply.
According to Cooter, who spoke with ANI, there is a false belief in India that Canada has become less hospitable to foreign students as a result of recent changes to the immigration system. The reason is that a common misconception in India is that Canada is locking its borders. "That isn't true," he stated.
But the numbers reveal a more nuanced picture. Indians made up 51.6% of new international students in 2023, according to a recent report that the Office of the Auditor General of Canada gave to Parliament.
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By September 2025, the percentage had drastically decreased to 8.1% from 33.6% in 2024. In comparison to the same period in 2024, there were 84% fewer new Indian students arriving between January and April of 2026, according to the Financial Express.
Cooter stated that housing shortages and worries about the calibre of certain educational institutions pushed Canada to impose a cap on international students. "We did indeed put a cap a few years ago because of two problems; there was just not enough housing, and there were some fly-by-night colleges. We wanted to address these concerns. However, we've accomplished that," he remarked.
As part of its Immigration Levels Plan, Canada reduced the number of foreign students by imposing yearly limitations on study visas beginning in 2024. Further reductions are scheduled for 2025, 2026, and through 2028. In order to prevent fraud, it also increased the financial criteria for potential students and mandated acceptance letter revisions.
Cooter stated that intake is still below the allowed ceiling in spite of the limitations. Currently, Canada is home to almost 400,000 international students, which is more than the US and the EU, the UK, and Australia put together. "Students are welcome. Not even those caps have been reached. Because we want you there and there is room in these caps, this is actually arguably the finest time ever for Indian students to apply," he stated.
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Due to its easy access to private universities for regular kids looking to study and eventually go overseas, Canada has long been a preferred location for middle-class Indian families. The usual path entails taking a vocational education, finding work after graduation, and submitting an application for permanent residency after about five years.
After Prime Minister Mark Carney visited India earlier this year from February 27 to March 2, Cooter acknowledged that the system has been inconsistent and delayed when it comes to processing visas, but he said that adjustments are being made. Both the students and the businesspeople tell us about their difficulties obtaining a visa. He said that the administration is "very actively working" to address those issues.
"It seems inconsistent, or it takes too long," he said. "I want us to be the top in the class. "Let's outperform everyone else if we must obtain visas," Cooter remarked.
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