This shift marks a turning point after a decade of steady growth in the number of Indian students studying abroad.
Number of Indian Students Studying Abroad in UK, US and Canada Decline Sharply in 2024, Latest News; The number of Indian students going abroad for studies has declined sharply for the first time in the past four years, according to an analysis by The Indian Express based on the latest visa data.
A significant 25% decline was recorded in the number of Indian students receiving study permits to the top three foreign destinations for Indian students — the UK, the US, and Canada.
In Canada, there was a 32% drop, with study permits falling from 2.78 lakh in 2023 to 1.89 lakh in 2024, according to The Indian Express, citing sources from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Similarly, in the US, a 34% drop was observed in the number of F1 visas, which fell from 1,31,000 in FY 2023 to 86,110 in FY 2024. In the UK, the drop stood at 26%, with sponsored student visas granted to Indians decreasing from 1,20,000 to 88,732, as per data from the UK Home Office analysed by the news outlet.
In FY 2019, the number of F1 visas issued to Indian students by the US stood at 43,714, which sharply declined to around 15,000 in 2020 due to the pandemic. The numbers bounced back in 2021 and continued to rise, peaking at 1,30,730 in 2023 before falling again to 86,110 in 2024.
This decline comes at a time when several countries — particularly Canada and the UK — are tightening immigration rules. Both have introduced caps on student intake and placed restrictions on dependent visas, citing growing concerns over housing shortages and the strain international students place on public services like healthcare and infrastructure.
Canada has also ended the fast-track Student Direct Stream (SDS) program, which previously allowed quicker visa processing for students from countries like India. As a result, Indian students may now face longer processing times and stricter scrutiny. Additionally, Canada has announced plans to reduce the number of temporary residents — including international students, foreign workers, visitors, and their dependents — to 5% of its population by 2026.
Canada introduced a cap on study permits in 2024, which led to a 35% drop compared to the previous year. An additional 10% reduction has been announced for 2025. Canadian authorities have cited pressure on housing, healthcare, and other public services as the main reasons for these measures.
As a result, the number of study permits granted to Indian students in Canada fell by 32%, from 2.78 lakh in 2023 to 1.89 lakh in 2024.
The UK also implemented new restrictions in 2024, particularly targeting foreign students bringing dependents. According to the UK Home Office, these changes partly impacted the number of visa approvals. Unlike the US and Canada, the UK saw an earlier decline in student visas for Indians, with a 13% drop in 2023, followed by a 26% fall in 2024.
This shift marks a turning point after a decade of steady growth in the number of Indian students studying abroad.
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