Canada audit raises concerns over Indian student visa approvals

A recent audit report in Canada has raised concerns about the high approval rates of student visas for Indian applicants, despite risks of fraud. The report, presented by Auditor General Karen Hogan, pointed out that countries with higher chances of fake applications usually have lower visa approval rates — but India stood out as an exception. 

The findings showed that while overall visas granted to Indian students dropped sharply from 51.6% in 2023 to just 8.1% by September 2025, approvals under the Student Direct Stream (SDS) increased significantly. This fast-track visa program saw approval rates rise from 61% in 2022 to 98% in 2024.

This happened even after internal warnings in 2023 suggested that the SDS program was being misused by non-genuine students. The program, launched in 2018 for countries including India, China, and the Philippines, allowed quicker processing with fewer checks. However, due to growing concerns, Canada ended the SDS fast-track system by late 2024.

The audit also found that most SDS approvals between 2022 and 2024 were for Indian students. At the same time, issues like fake documents, students not attending classes, and increasing asylum claims were reported. Despite this, officials were slow to act.

In some cases, students had submitted documents from fake or non-existent institutions. Out of 800 such identified cases, no strict action was taken, and many of these individuals later applied for further permits or permanent residency.

The report also highlighted that while fewer new visas are being issued, extensions are still being approved easily, keeping risks alive. Canadian authorities have now said they will review such applications more carefully in the future.

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