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The Canadian government is seeking expanded authority to revoke groups of temporary visas amid growing concerns about fraudulent applications—particularly from India and Bangladesh, according to internal documents reviewed by CBC News. The documents reveal that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and unnamed U.S. counterparts have formed a joint working group to identify and cancel fraudulent visitor visa applications. India and Bangladesh were flagged as “country-specific challenges” in the report.

The proposed measures are contained in Bill C-12, part of a broader border management framework adapted from the earlier Bill C-2. If enacted, the legislation would empower Ottawa to cancel entire categories of visas under exceptional circumstances—such as pandemics, national security threats, or armed conflicts—potentially targeting applicants from specific countries, as per a report on Economic Times.

75% Of Study Permit Applications From Indian Students Rejected

The move comes at a time when Canada’s visa approval rates for Indian nationals have plunged sharply. In August 2025, nearly 74% of study permit applications from Indian students were rejected, up from 32% in August 2023, according to government data cited by Reuters. The overall rejection rate for study permits stood at 40%, while 24% of Chinese applications were denied.

This has led to a steep decline in interest among Indian students. Applications from India dropped from 20,900 in August 2023 to just 4,515 in August 2025, reflecting growing disillusionment with Canada as a study destination. It is the second consecutive year that Canada has scaled back international student permits as part of its efforts to curb temporary migration and tackle visa fraud.

India has historically been Canada’s largest source of international students. In response to the rejection trend, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa acknowledged the decline but reiterated that visa issuance remains the sovereign prerogative of the Canadian government.