Canada is Absolutely Unpredicted and Historically Surprising for Study Permit Application Processing in 2025

We have observed own major patterns for processing of Canadian study permit applications in recent era. Long processing times and a higher percentage of rejection for study permit applications are being reported by most education agencies. The general conclusion is that the study permit system is hampered by processing capacity and a more stringent method of evaluating study permit applications, even though waiting periods and approval rates differ by market and by level of study.

In many respects, this builds on the narrative discovered in 2024 data, which was the first year that Canada's current enrollment cap on new foreign enrolments was in effect. It was a year in which:

●    Compared to 2023, the quantity of new study permits given out decreased by 48%.

●    Compared to 2023, the overall number of study permits requested decreased by almost one third.

●    The year-over-year approval rate dropped to 48% from almost 60% the previous year.

The data for2025 is not yet available, but preliminary findings suggest that the previous trends are carrying over into this year and, in some respects, getting deeper. First, there is a concerning drop in total application filings for the first half of 2025, according to preliminary IRCC data on the number of new study permits being processed. The IRCC handled 290,635 fresh study permit applications in the first and second quarters of 2024, which is slightly more than half of all the applications received in that year.

However, according to IRCC data for 2025, merely 143,485 fresh study applications for permits were handled across January and June of 2025. This indicates that overall application volumes decreased by about 50% during the first and second quarters of 2025. This year's total application volumes may fall to about290,000 study permit applications in the entire 2025, versus just under 580,000in 2024 and 860,000 in 2023, if the same split between new study permits submitted from 2024 occurs.

Furthermore, the quantity of new study permits issued for the year may drop well below 2024levels if approval rates stay close to 2024 levels, with roughly fifty percent of all applications being denied. Additionally, that will place them well below the 2025 official enrollment cap.

The most frequent reason given by visa officers for denying an application in 2024 was that they weren't convinced the applicant would depart Canada after completion of their stay. The widespread use of this excuse last year indicates that many applicants are thought to have long-term residency as their main goal rather than education. The other significant reason for the increase in rejection rates seems to be visa officers' worries that applicants might not have enough money. The rise in monetary requirements in Canada over the past 18 months maybe linked to the growing use of this justification for denial.

On January 1,2024, the expense of living needed by a single study permission applicant increased to CA$ 20,635.00. Compared to CA$ 10,000 threshold that had stood in place for roughly 20 years before, this represented a significant increase. Another increase has been implemented on September 01, 2025, raising the threshold to CA$ 22,895 for a single applicant.

It has come to notice that for China, approval rate of study permit applications is above 65%, while for India, the rejection rate is still rising. Remarkably, the study permit applications approval rates differ depending on the type of institution. There is notable difference for approval rates for students applying to universities and colleges. Colleges consistently perform worse than universities (average approval rates of 23–33% vs. 45–59%). Additionally, according to that analysis, university approval rates are increasing by the initial half of 2025 while college approval rates continue to fluctuate more.