Canada Cracks Down on International Student Visa Abuse

Canada's immigration authority has introduced sweeping reforms to its International Student Programme. The new policies aim to address vulnerabilities in the system, including concerns around fraudulent acceptance letters and applicants who use student visas as a pathway to residency without genuine academic intent.

The reforms include stricter financial requirements, mandatory verification of acceptance letters, and the end of the Student Direct Stream, a fast-track application route that was previously available to students from select countries. New data from IRCC shows that international student arrivals have dropped sharply since 2023, with numbers falling by 83% between January and May 2026 compared to the same period in 2024.

The changes target the integrity and long-term sustainability of the programme, which has been a key pathway for students from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India, and the Philippines. The reforms are aimed at ensuring that only genuine students with a true academic intent are admitted to Canada.