- Canada is not closing its doors to Indian students, says High Commissioner Chris Cooter
- Misconceptions exist in India about Canada’s student visa and immigration policies
- Canada had capped international students due to housing and education quality concerns
Canadian High Commissioner to India Chris Cooter has said that Canada is not closing its doors to Indian students and that this could be the "best time ever" for Indian students to apply for studies in the country.
Speaking to ANI, Cooter said there is a misconception among students and families in India that Canada has become less welcoming due to changes in its immigration and student visa policies. He clarified that this is not true.
"The reason is that there is a kind of misperception in India that Canada is shutting the doors. That is not at all the case," Cooter said.
He explained that Canada had introduced a cap on international students a few years ago due to concerns related to housing shortages and the quality of some educational institutions. However, he said those issues have been addressed.
"It's true that a couple of years ago we did impose a cap because we had issues--there simply wasn't enough housing, there were some fly-by-night colleges, we wanted to clean that up. But we've done that," he said.
Highlighting Canada's position as a study destination, Cooter said the country currently has around 400,000 international students. He added that Canada continues to provide quality education and opportunities for students from across the world.
Reassuring Indian students, he said, "So yes, you are very, very welcome as students. And parents and students, please do consider Canada. We think that we provide a very high-quality education, whether that's university or polytechnic--we call them colleges."
The envoy also pointed out that several Canadian universities have strong global rankings, including McGill University and the University of Toronto.
Talking about student intake limits, Cooter said, "Students are welcome. We haven't even reached those caps. So actually, this is probably the best time ever to apply as an Indian student, because we want you there and there's space in these caps."
Addressing concerns over visa delays, he said the Canadian government is working to improve the process and make it more efficient for students and families.
"I'd like to see us be best in class. If we have to have visas, let's do it better than everybody else. And so we are very actively working on that right now," Cooter said.
