Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has rolled out a package of rule changes from July 1 aimed at curbing abuse of study and work routes that are disproportionately used by Indian nationals. Key measures include stricter financial-proof thresholds, mandatory letters of attestation from provinces for publicly funded colleges and caps on certain postgraduate work permits. For Indian students — who made up almost 41 percent of all new study-permit holders in 2025 — the biggest hurdle is a 25 percent jump in the minimum cost-of-living fund requirement to CAD 20,635, payable in advance into a GIC account.
Students and professionals who find the new Canadian rules daunting can simplify the process by working with VisaHQ. The company’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides tailored checklists, document review and filing support for study, work and visitor visas, reducing the risk of costly mistakes and last-minute refusals.
Colleges that fail to secure provincial attestation will lose the right to admit international students for January 2027, pressuring agents to steer applicants toward larger universities. On the employment side, the popular Global Talent Stream continues, but spouses of most lower-skilled temporary foreign workers will no longer receive an open work permit automatically. IRCC also signalled tough audits of the Owner-Operator LMIA route, a favourite of Indian entrepreneurs seeking a backdoor to permanent residence. Consultants expect processing times to lengthen in the short term as officers verify new paperwork. Multinational firms rotating engineers from Bengaluru to Toronto on intra-company transfer (ICT) permits are unaffected, but those using the C11 entrepreneur category should budget extra compliance time. IRCC insists the reforms maintain Canada’s attractiveness while protecting labour-market integrity; however, student-housing providers warn that last-minute refusals could leave thousands of beds empty this fall. Prospective applicants are urged to double-check college eligibility and retain evidence of funds before paying tuition deposits.
Students and professionals who find the new Canadian rules daunting can simplify the process by working with VisaHQ. The company’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides tailored checklists, document review and filing support for study, work and visitor visas, reducing the risk of costly mistakes and last-minute refusals.
Colleges that fail to secure provincial attestation will lose the right to admit international students for January 2027, pressuring agents to steer applicants toward larger universities. On the employment side, the popular Global Talent Stream continues, but spouses of most lower-skilled temporary foreign workers will no longer receive an open work permit automatically. IRCC also signalled tough audits of the Owner-Operator LMIA route, a favourite of Indian entrepreneurs seeking a backdoor to permanent residence. Consultants expect processing times to lengthen in the short term as officers verify new paperwork. Multinational firms rotating engineers from Bengaluru to Toronto on intra-company transfer (ICT) permits are unaffected, but those using the C11 entrepreneur category should budget extra compliance time. IRCC insists the reforms maintain Canada’s attractiveness while protecting labour-market integrity; however, student-housing providers warn that last-minute refusals could leave thousands of beds empty this fall. Prospective applicants are urged to double-check college eligibility and retain evidence of funds before paying tuition deposits.
