Canada is turning away foreign workers, students, and tourists at an unprecedented rate.

In 2024, a staggering 2.35 million temporary resident applications were denied, a sharp rise from 1.8 million in 2023.

Visitor visa rejections skyrocketed to 54%, while student permit refusals soared to 52%.

The rejection surge comes as Canada tightens immigration rules, blaming rising living costs and a worsening housing crisis.

The government has already slashed its permanent resident targets for 2025-2027, now aiming for just 395,000 new arrivals in 2025—20% lower than previous projections.

Visa denials hit hard
Foreign visitors faced the toughest crackdown, with over half of all applicants turned away.

Student permits also saw a dramatic jump in rejections, jumping from 38% in 2023 to 52% this year.

While work permits fared slightly better, 22% of applicants were still denied.

Stuck in legal limbo

Despite Ottawa’s push to curb immigration, many migrants are finding ways to stay.

Applications for visitor record extensions—which allow migrants to remain in Canada legally without work or study rights—have nearly doubled since 2019, hitting 389,254 in 2024.

While approval rates remain high at 95%, backlogs are mounting, with wait times stretching to 119 days.

The crackdown isn’t just a Canadian trend student visa applications are plummeting worldwide.

Canada saw a 46% drop in student visa requests in 2024, mirroring declines in Australia (down 36%), the UK (down 16%), and the US (down 11%).

As rejection rates soar, Canada’s once-welcoming reputation is fading fast.