often when people talk about canadian immigration its from Western and canadian news sources. This is why I find this so important. because this is an indian newspaper looking at it from an indian perspective.
it gives the other side of the picture when we read about how canadian immigration restrictions is being talked about. The higher cost to go to canada the restrictions on student visa all of them is forcing punjabis to change where they are going.
it also talks about the issues suchs as scams and criminality that plague the industry.
all in all canadian immigraton is often talked about from a western perspective so having the perspective on the ground from punjab is something that I feel would contribute to the discourse on the sub.
I need to go to study so please read the article before commenting I am going to post everything in the comments. Dont just look at the title and comment read it please.
Posted by ewatta200
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**Ludhiana/Jalandhar/Chandigarh:** Sheetal is 20, and tired of waiting. As she sits in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) practice room at Capri Education in Ludhiana, students around her discuss the courses and colleges they can apply to. “*London ya Sydney*?” they say. Sheetal keeps out of it, for she has already spent two years chasing the Canadian dream and has no energy or enthusiasm left.
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Sheetal’s plan was simple: After finishing Class 12, move to Canada for a Bachelor’s degree. But reality bit deep into simplicity, and Sheetal’s dream turned into a loop of paperwork, and finally heartbreak. “I completed my IELTS coaching. I gave the exam. I applied for a visa in 2025. I was rejected. Then, I applied in 2026. I was rejected. The reason? My profile is not strong enough,” she says. “Everyone I know has a life in Canada. Except me.”
Sheetal’s struggle is the new normal in Punjab’s Doaba and Malwa belts. For decades, the path from high school classroom to a basement either in Toronto, Surrey and Brampton was not just a dream, but a household reality. Things have changed, however.
A series of aggressive policy shifts by the Canadian government has made it difficult for students and immigration companies to enter and survive. By capping student permits and tightening the “proof of funds” requirements, Canada has signalled that the era for the “easy entry” student visa is over.
Youngsters attend an IELTS class in Ludhiana for boosting their chances to study abroad | Samridhi Tewari | ThePrint
For students like Sheetal, it isn’t just a policy change, but a wall. It slows down entry, and restricts it too. With the Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) cost—an investment required for international students to prove they have the funds to cover their first-year’s living expenses—almost doubling now, and the risk of refusal at an all-time high, the Canadian financial gamble has become too risky for several middle class families.
The dream to go to Canada is not dying; it’s just a whole lot more expensive now.
***Also Read:*** [*Sikh separatists engaging in violent extremism a ‘threat to national security’—Canada intel report*](https://theprint.in/diplomacy/sikh-separatists-manifest-politically-motivated-violent-extremism-security-threat-canada-intel-report/2663038/)
# The revelations
As per the March 2026 audit report by Canada Auditor General (AG) Karen Hogan, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reduced the number of new study permits issued to control the growth of the International Student Program. The reduction in new study permits has disproportionately affected smaller provinces.
The audit, *‘International Student Programs Reform’,* revealed that while the government successfully capped study permit applications, the actual number of approvals in 2024 fell “sharper than forecast”, with the IRCC approving fewer than half of the permits it had already projected.
This collapse was most visible in the Student Direct Stream (SDS), the fast-track route Sheetal likely missed.