Toronto, Aug. 25 -- The number of study permit holders from India for Canadian institutes of higher education crashed by over two-third in the second quarter of this year. According to data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the number of study permits issued to Indians between April and June 2025 stood at 17,885 as against 55,660 for the same period in 2024. That is a decrease of over 66%. Indians accounted for nearly 32% of study permits issued during this period as against nearly 45% in the corresponding period in 2024. The decline also translated to the first six months of 2025 for Indian students, as the number fell from 99,950 to just 47,695. Overall, the total number of study permits dropped by nearly 100,000, from 245,055 in the first six months of 2024 to 149,860. The sharp decline recorded in 2025 continues a trend that began in 2024 as Canada started curbing the issuance of study permits. These numbers, as per IRCC, are "preliminary estimates" and subject to change but are emblematic in the change in acceptance of foreign students, including those from India, in Canada, amid growing anti-immigrant sentiment. Canada's international students programme came in for severe criticism after the intake exploded in the post-Covid years under then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, turning into an election issue prior to the 2025 Federal poll. Policy changes were instituted because record immigration was blamed, partly, for housing unaffordability, and pressure on health and transport infrastructure. After he led his party back to form the government following the April 28 Federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney made it clear that position will not change in the near future as he said temporary residents, including students and foreign workers, will not account for more than five per cent of the country's population by 2027. On September 18, 2024, IRCC stated the cap for issuing study permits for 2025 will be at 437,000, down from the target of 485,000 for this year. The "stabilising" 2025 figure will also apply for 2026. Canada started taking measures with regard to international students since late 2023. On December 7 that year, IRCC announced for new study permit applications received on or after January 1, 2024, a single applicant will "need to show they have CA$ 20,635 (USD$14,915)as against CA$ 10,000 (USD$7,228) earlier. In July this year, the amount was hiked again, to CA$ 22,895 (USD$165,49) for the applicant alone. In 2023, Canada issued a total of 681,005 study permits, with Indians accounting for 278,010. Last year, that total slid to 515,520 with the Indian component decreasing to 188,280. The immigration policy of the new government is expected to be announced this fall....