Canada Welcomes Indian Students, Says ‘Best Time Ever’ to Apply: High Commissioner Chris Cooter

By Mahima Katal

Canadian High Commissioner to India Chris Cooter on Monday sought to reassure Indian students and their families that Canada remains open to international talent, saying that now may be the "best time ever" for Indian students to apply for higher education opportunities in the country.

Addressing concerns surrounding Canada's immigration and student visa policies, Cooter said there is a widespread misconception in India that Canada has become less welcoming to international students following recent changes to its immigration system.

"There is a kind of misperception in India that Canada is shutting the doors. That is not at all the case," he said.

Cooter acknowledged that Canada had introduced a cap on international student admissions a few years ago due to housing shortages and concerns about the quality of certain educational institutions. According to him, the measures were aimed at addressing these issues and improving the overall student experience.

"It's true that a couple of years ago we imposed a cap because there wasn't enough housing, and there were some fly-by-night colleges. We wanted to clean that up. But we've done that," he said.

Emphasising Canada's continued attractiveness as a study destination, Cooter noted that the country currently hosts around 400,000 international students. He said this reflects Canada's strong reputation for higher education and its ability to attract students from around the world.

The envoy highlighted the quality of Canadian educational institutions, pointing to globally ranked universities such as McGill University and the University of Toronto. He said Canada offers a range of educational opportunities, from research-intensive universities to polytechnic and community colleges.

"We think that we provide a very high-quality education, whether that's university or polytechnic," he said.

Cooter also stressed that Canada has not yet reached its current international student cap, indicating that there is still significant capacity for new applicants.

"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," he said.

Responding to concerns about visa delays and inconsistencies, Cooter acknowledged that students and business travellers have faced challenges in obtaining visas. He said the Canadian government is actively working to improve the process and make it more efficient.

"Both business people and the students tell us about the problems they have with getting the visa. It seems inconsistent or it takes too long," he said.

According to Cooter, efforts are underway to streamline visa processing and improve the experience for applicants. He expressed hope that Canada would develop one of the most efficient visa systems among major destination countries.

"I'd like to see us be best in class. If we have to have visas, let's do it better than everybody else," he said.

The remarks come amid growing interest among Indian students in overseas education and are aimed at reassuring prospective applicants that Canada continues to view India as an important partner in international education.