Canada’s Auditor General has raised alarms over how Indian student visas were approved at unusually high rates, even amid concerns about fraud. While other countries with a higher risk of fake applications saw low approval rates, India was an exception.
High approval rates for Indian Student Visas amid fraud concerns
The report by Auditor General Karen Hogan revealed that between 2023 and 2025, the share of Indian students getting Canadian visas fell dramatically from 51.6% to 8.1%. However, approvals under the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program, which included a fast-track feature, rose sharply. The numbers went up from 61% in 2022 to 98% in 2024.
The increase was recorded despite internal warnings in August 2023 that “the SDS was being targeted by non-genuine students seeking entry to Canada.” Canada eventually removed the fast-track option from SDS at the end of 2024.
The SDS program started in 2018 for students from India, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. It offered a faster, lighter review of applications and later expanded to ten more countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
The audit found that almost all SDS approvals during 2022-2024 were for Indian students. But the Immigration department (IRCC) was slow to act on warning signs like fake documents, students not studying seriously, and rising asylum claims.
The audit looked at three investigative reports covering 2018-2023 and found 800 study permits approved under suspicious circumstances. Of these, 541 (68%) were under SDS. “For example, 710 applicants claimed to have studied at overseas institutions that either didn’t exist or sold fake qualifications,” the report added.
By the end of the audit, 92% of these students had either been approved for or were awaiting other immigration permits, including permanent residence.
Cap on study permits – Fraudulent applications and missed red flags
Canada reduced the number of international study permits by 30-35% starting January 2024, before ending the SDS fast-track. This drop caused the overall number of Indian students getting visas to fall. Even after removing SDS, the audit warns that risks remain because many Indian students already in Canada continue to apply for extensions, which is often overlooked.
According to the data, from January 2023 to September 2025, approval rates for extensions ranged 94-95%, while new permits were approved at 38-58%. “To treat all study permit extensions as low risk, other program integrity controls must be effective,” the report said. But the IRCC did not follow up on several cases even after finding fraudulent documents.
The IRCC said it would now review extension applications from former SDS applicants with added scrutiny. For those still seeking visas, it will create alerts for officers to flag individuals of concern.
The audit also revealed that about 150,000 cases were flagged internally in 2023 and 2024 for potential visa violations. But due to limited funds, only about 4,000 were investigated, with 1,600 closed as inconclusive when students didn’t respond to queries.