# Canada Study Permit Refusal Rate 2025: Global IRCC Data for Indians > IRCC refused 59% of new study permit applications in 2025, all nationalities combined. What that figure measures, why there is no India-only rate, and what Indian applicants must prove. _Published: 2026-10-20 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1066_ ## TL;DR IRCC told a parliamentary committee that it refused 59% of new study permit applications from all nationalities in 2025, up from 52% in 2024. There is no India-only figure on that page, so the number describes the global caseload, not an individual Indian student's prospects. ## Key takeaways - Refusal rate for new study permit applications, all nationalities: 59% in January-December 2025, 52% in 2024 (IRCC committee note, April 30, 2026). - IRCC does not publish an India-only study permit refusal rate on that page. - For calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026, IRCC reported a 38% approval rate for study permits, all nationalities. - The global visitor visa refusal rate was 51% in 2025. - Indian applicants still need a letter of acceptance, a PAL/TAL in most cases and at least CAN$23,448 in living funds for one person. **IRCC refused 59% of new study permit applications from all nationalities in January-December 2025, up from 52% in 2024, according to IRCC's April 30, 2026 note to a parliamentary committee (SECU). IRCC does not publish an India-only rate on that page, so the figure is a global refusal rate, not a measure of any Indian student's chances.** ## Article The data and rules in this article are as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the department that decides study permits; the statistics come from briefing notes it prepared for the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU). For the full set of Canadian routes, see our Canada visa page for Indian students and travellers. ### What exactly does the 59% figure measure? It is the share of new study permit applications that IRCC refused in calendar year 2025, counting every nationality together. Three limits follow from that definition: - It covers new applications. IRCC labels it the refusal rate for 'new study permit applications'. - It is not country-specific. Indian applications are part of the total, but the page gives no breakdown by nationality. - It looks backwards. The figure records 2025 decisions; it is not a forecast for 2026 intakes. A refusal rate is also not the reverse of an individual approval chance. Each file is decided on its own evidence, so the global percentage tells you about the system, not about your application. ### Is there an official refusal rate for Indian students only? Not in the IRCC sources checked for this article. IRCC's committee notes give all-nationality rates only, and no official India-specific study permit, visitor visa or work permit approval or refusal rate for 2025-2026 was found. Figures for Indian students quoted elsewhere should name their IRCC source before you rely on them. ### How does the study permit rate compare with other IRCC decisions? IRCC measure (all nationalities)ValuePeriodRefusal rate, new study permit applications59%January-December 2025Refusal rate, new study permit applications52%2024Refusal rate, visitor visas (TRV)51%2025 (54% in 2024, 39% in 2023)Approval rate, study permits38%Calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026Approval rate, visitor visas54%Calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026Approval rate, work permits82%Calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026The first two rows come from IRCC's note on international students; the others come from its note on the management of expired and cancelled visas. The 2026 rows are approval rates for about two months, a different measure over a much shorter period, so they cannot be compared directly with the full-year 2025 refusal rate. ### What does IRCC require an Indian study permit file to prove? The refusal statistics do not list reasons, but IRCC's eligibility rules show what an officer checks. You must: - be enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI), shown by a letter of acceptance; - submit a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) in most cases; - prove funds for first-year tuition, return transportation and living costs; - have no criminal record and be in good health, with a police certificate or medical exam if required; - satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada when the permit expires. The PAL/TAL is issued by the province or territory through your DLI, usually after you accept the offer and pay part or all of the tuition. Each applicant needs one, and it must be valid when you apply: 2026 cap-year letters are valid until December 31, 2026 unless they show an earlier date. Exemptions include preschool, primary and secondary school, exchange students who pay no tuition to the DLI, Global Affairs Canada scholarship holders and, from January 1, 2026, master's or doctoral degree-granting programs at a public DLI. Quebec requires a CAQ instead. The living-cost minimum outside Quebec for applications on or after September 1, 2026: Family sizeMinimum funds (excluding tuition and travel)1 personCAN$23,4482 peopleCAN$29,1923 peopleCAN$35,8884 peopleCAN$43,572Each extra family memberCAN$6,318Accepted proof includes a GIC from a Canadian financial institution, an education loan, a scholarship, 6 months of bank statements showing the source of funds, or a sponsor's letter with proof. For programs over a year, you must explain how you will pay for the full duration. ### Which rule changes since 2025 matter for Indian applicants? - January 22, 2025: changing schools requires a new PAL/TAL before applying. - January 1, 2026: master's and doctoral degree-granting programs at public DLIs no longer need a PAL/TAL. - February 24, 2026: VFS India biometrics appointments require uploading the IRCC Biometric Instruction Letter. - September 1, 2026: the single-applicant funds minimum rose to CAN$23,448 from CAN$22,895. ### What should you do differently after a refusal? Start from the requirement your file did not prove, not from the statistic. A few rules apply directly to reapplications: - You need a new PAL/TAL after an approval or a refusal; the old letter cannot be reused. - The study permit fee is CAN$150.00 per person and biometrics cost CAN$85.00, both charged in CAD. - IRCC's posted processing time for study permits from India is 7 weeks (data last updated October 14, 2026). - You apply online to IRCC and give biometrics at one of 10 VFS-run Visa Application Centres in India once IRCC sends the instruction letter. - Every document must be genuine; strengthen the file with real evidence of funds, study plans and ties, never with altered papers. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use the contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Does a 59% refusal rate mean I have a 41% chance of approval? No. The 59% is the share of all new study permit applications, from every nationality, that IRCC refused in 2025. Each application is decided on its own evidence, so the global rate is not a personal probability. #### Did study permit approvals fall further in 2026? IRCC reported a 38% study permit approval rate, all nationalities, for calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026. That is an approval rate over about two months, so it cannot be compared directly with the full-year 2025 refusal rate. #### How long does IRCC take to decide a study permit from India? IRCC's processing-times data, last updated October 14, 2026, shows 7 weeks for study permit applications made from India. IRCC has told a parliamentary committee that posted times are backward-looking. #### Is the visitor visa refusal rate lower than the study permit rate? Yes, slightly. IRCC's global visitor visa (TRV) refusal rate was 51% in 2025, against 59% for new study permit applications. Both figures cover all nationalities, not Indians only. ## FAQ ### Does a 59% refusal rate mean I have a 41% chance of approval? No. The 59% is the share of all new study permit applications, from every nationality, that IRCC refused in 2025. Each application is decided on its own evidence, so the global rate is not a personal probability. ### Did study permit approvals fall further in 2026? IRCC reported a 38% study permit approval rate, all nationalities, for calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026. That is an approval rate over about two months, so it cannot be compared directly with the full-year 2025 refusal rate. ### How long does IRCC take to decide a study permit from India? IRCC's processing-times data, last updated October 14, 2026, shows 7 weeks for study permit applications made from India. IRCC has told a parliamentary committee that posted times are backward-looking. ### Is the visitor visa refusal rate lower than the study permit rate? Yes, slightly. IRCC's global visitor visa (TRV) refusal rate was 51% in 2025, against 59% for new study permit applications. Both figures cover all nationalities, not Indians only. ## Sources 1. [IRCC - SECU committee note: International Students (April 30, 2026)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/committees/secu-apr-30-2026/international-students.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 2. [IRCC - SECU committee note: Management of Expired and Cancelled Visas (April 30, 2026)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/committees/secu-apr-30-2026/management-expired-cancelled-visas.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 3. [IRCC - Study permit: Proof of financial support](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/get-documents/financial-support.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada