For the first time in four years, there has been a simultaneous decline in the number of Indian students receiving study visas to Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, according to a detailed analysis of newly released visa statistics by The Indian Express.
The 2024 data reveals a notable decrease of at least 25% in the number of Indian students obtaining study permits across these top three education destinations. Canada experienced a significant 32% fall, with visa approvals dropping from 2.78 lakh in 2023 to 1.89 lakh in 2024, as reported by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The United States registered an even steeper decline of 34%, with F1 student visas reducing from 1,31,000 in fiscal year 2023 to just 86,110 in 2024. Meanwhile, the UK recorded a 26% drop, with sponsored student visas granted to Indian nationals falling from 1,20,000 to 88,732, based on UK Home Office data.
This downward trend follows the introduction of stricter immigration rules, particularly by Canada and the UK, which have imposed limitations on student intake and dependent visas. These measures are largely seen as responses to growing concerns over housing shortages and the strain that large international student populations are placing on public services in these countries.
Canada, in particular, has enacted several major changes affecting Indian students. Among the most impactful is the cancellation of the Student Direct Stream program, which had previously fast-tracked applications. In addition, the Canadian government has introduced a cap on the number of study permits issued, resulting in a 35% drop in 2024 alone. It has also set a goal of reducing temporary residents to just 5% of the national population by 2026. Another 10% cut to study permit allocations has already been announced for 2025. These policy changes are being justified by officials as necessary to alleviate growing pressure on housing, healthcare, and other public systems.
Reflecting the consequences of these policies, the number of Indian students receiving study permits in Canada declined by 32% — from 2.78 lakh in 2023 to 1.89 lakh in 2024. In contrast, the decline in Chinese student permits was far less severe, dipping only slightly from 58,080 in 2023 to 56,465 in 2024 — a decrease of just 3%.
The UK has also rolled out new visa rules in 2024, with a strong focus on limiting foreign students from bringing family members. The UK Home Office acknowledged that the policy change may have “partly impacted the number of main applicant visas granted.”
Unlike the United States and Canada, where Indian student numbers were climbing until 2023, the UK had already experienced a drop in Indian student visa grants beginning in 2023. That year saw a 13% decline, with the number falling from 1,38,980 to 1,19,738. This was followed by a sharper 26% decrease in 2024.
The current decline marks a dramatic reversal from the decade-long boom in Indian student enrollments in these countries. Over the past ten years, Indian students had experienced substantial increases in visa approvals and had even surpassed their Chinese counterparts in all three destinations.
Canada had emerged as the leading choice for Indian students, with the number of visas granted rising from just 31,920 in 2015 to 2,78,160 in 2023 — nearly an eightfold increase. The UK saw an even steeper surge, with Indian student visa approvals rising more than tenfold — from 10,418 in 2015 to 1,19,738 in 2023. Meanwhile, the US saw its number of F1 visas issued to Indian students almost double, from 74,831 in fiscal 2015 to 1,30,730 in 2023.
This trend enabled Indian students to overtake their Chinese counterparts in all three nations. Even in 2024, despite the fall in total numbers, Indian students continued to outnumber Chinese students in both Canada and the United States. In the UK, Indians held the lead in 2022 and 2023, but their numbers dropped below the Chinese cohort again in 2024.
There are also distinct patterns in the academic preferences and enrollment trends of Indian students across these three countries. In Canada, a majority of Indian students tend to pursue college-level programs that offer shorter, employment-focused diplomas and certificate courses instead of traditional university degrees. In 2023, undergraduate programs slightly edged out postgraduate ones at Canadian universities, with about 16,000 study permits issued for bachelor’s programs, compared to roughly 15,640 for master’s degrees.
In the United States, the academic landscape for Indian students has changed over the years. Data from the Open Doors report shows that while engineering remained the most popular subject until the 2017–18 academic year, mathematics and computer science have since become the top fields of interest. In the most recent data, 37.5% of Indian students were pursuing studies in math and computer science, compared to 35.4% in engineering. Indian students in the US have consistently leaned toward postgraduate studies more than undergraduate education.
The UK reflects similar patterns. A large portion of Indian students in the UK pursue postgraduate degrees, with the UK Home Office noting that “four out of five Indian students — or 80% — were enrolled at the master’s level.” This postgraduate preference has intensified over time. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the share of Indian undergraduates in the UK has significantly dropped — from around 50% in 2014 to just 20% in 2024.
In summary, the steep fall in Indian student visa approvals in 2024 across Canada, the US, and the UK ends a decade of consistent growth and signals a major shift in global education mobility trends. The tightening of immigration policies, especially in Canada and the UK, appears to be the central reason behind the decline. While Chinese student numbers have largely remained stable, Indian students have been disproportionately affected by these changes. Whether this trend continues in the coming years will likely depend on how these destination countries balance their policy goals with the demand for international education and talent.