75,000 study permit applications from India are now being processed: Canada

As tens of thousands of study permit applications remain waiting, the Canadian government has said that it is "currently prioritising those applications for clients whose studies begin in September," while also extending the remote learning option for another year.

In response to questions from the Hindustan Times, an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) official responded, "We are making every effort to shorten wait times for our services globally."

"As of August 15, more than 75,000 Indian study permit applications were in the processing inventory," the official told. These are the visas received by Indians who wish to study at a Canadian university. The processing inventory is the backlog of pending cases.

The substantial inventory backlog, according to IRCC, was caused in part by "a rise in the number of study permit applications this year. IRCC received approximately 123,500 study visa applications from Indian residents in the first five months of 2022, or 55% more than during the same period in 2019, prior to the epidemic."

"Despite the priority of study permit applications for students looking to begin their studies in September, it is predicted that some overseas students will not have their application approved in time to begin their studies in person for the fall 2022 intake session," it warned.

Anshuman Gaur, India's acting high commissioner in Ottawa, said he "welcomed this interim action" and will continue to engage with Canadian officials to expedite the study permits.

As concerned parents contacted the Indian government, its high commission in Ottawa issued an advise on August 19. It claimed that the high commission, as well as India's consulates in Toronto and Vancouver, "are engaged with key Canadian interlocutors, including Canadian academic institutions and universities, addressing challenges faced by Indian students due to visa delays."

It further stated that around 230,000 Indian students are currently enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Canada, "making a beneficial contribution to the Canadian economy, including an estimated CA$ 4 billion in tuition fees."

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