Canada issues 99% student visas to India
Punjab E News: The deteriorating diplomatic relations between Canada and India once caused concern for students who dreamt of studying in Canada. There was speculation that thousands of immigrants, students, and workers heading to North America every year might face difficulties in obtaining visas, but the opposite occurred.
Canada has adopted a more lenient approach towards Indian students. Canada now grants visas to 99 percent of students, whereas the success rate was previously around 60 percent. What’s more, Canada has introduced two additional benefits for Indian students. First, there is no longer a requirement for a six-band score in each subject in the IELTS; a visa is now attainable with a total score of six bands.
Many students used to struggle with a 5.5 band score in writing and reading, which led to visa rejections. However, this is no longer the case, as a total of six bands are required across all four subjects. Additionally, if someone doesn’t pass the IELTS, they have the option of taking the PTE (Pearson Test of English).
PTE is generally considered easier than IELTS. In the last two months, Canada has approved visas for two students from Punjab, resulting in a success rate of up to 99 percent and a surge in the number of people heading to Canada. The September session for the next year is already fully booked.
Punjabi students contribute a substantial amount, spending Rs 68,000 crore every year to study in Canada. Currently, approximately 340,000 Punjabi students are enrolled in Canadian institutions. In 2022, 226,450 visas were approved, with about 136,000 of them going to Punjabi students. It’s worth noting that until 2008, only 38,000 Punjabi students applied for visas, highlighting a significant increase in recent years.