The relationship between India and Canada has been strained ever since the foreign government accused India in the infamous Hardeep Singh Nijjar assassination. Following the murder, India has taken a tough stance on diplomatic relations with Canada following the statement of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Education also plays an important role in bilateral relation between the two as a large number of Indians want to study and settle in Canada. But, according to a statement by Canada’s immigration minister Mark Miller, the number of students coming from India is unlikely to increase following this diplomatic row.
The number of permits issued to Indian students is declining at a rapid rate. According to reports, a drop of nearly 86% was witnessed in permits. This happened because India had expelled Canadian diplomats responsible for completing the permit process. India’s actions amid the Khalistani propaganda has resulted in fewer students applying to study in Canada than ever before.
Amid the strained relationship between the two countries, Immigration minister Miller believes that this diplomatic tension will adversely affect the education world. The number of applications along with the number of officers engaged in dealing with them have been reduced by more than half. In October last, following the Nijjar murder allegations, India let go of 41 Canadian diplomats.
According to official data, permits issued to Indian students in the fourth quarter of last year fell by 86% compared to the previous quarter due to the ongoing diplomatic row. 1,08,940 permits were issued in the July-September quarter whereas only 14,910 permits were issued in the last quarter.
It is important to note that 41% of total students going to Canada in 2022 were Indians. With this much influx of students, Canada’s economic position is also strengthened. According to estimates, the annual revenue is about 22 bililon CAD or 16.4 billion USD. This amount in Indian currency is 13.64 trillion INR.
According to Miller, the Canadian Government is facing the challenge of a large number of students coming in from other countries besides India. He said that the influx has been out of control and efforts are being made to bring it under control. It is worth noting that Canada is a favoured place to study because students can easily get a work permit after completing the course.