In 2025, the Canadian study permit¹ approval rate for all study levels was 41%. It dropped by seven percentage points year-over-year, and was considerably down from the early 2020s.² However, when we look at 2026 data for January through April, the approval rate has risen slightly to 44%. It’s a small improvement, but one worth watching as the year continues.

In the first of a two-part report on study permit refusal reasons, below, we’ll look at the latest data to understand which reasons are cited most often, and how this has evolved. Note that while immigration officers could choose more than one reason, they favoured the top five reasons heavily. These five grounds for refusal each factored into over 25% of all study permit refusal cases. Then, in an upcoming follow-up article, we’ll take a closer look at which grounds for refusal were most common among some of Canada’s largest international student populations.

Top Reasons for Canadian Student Visa Application Rejection

Last year, nearly 160,000 Canadian study permit applications were refused. That represents 59% of the total number of visa applications. On average, there were three reasons for refusal attached to each case.³ From January to April 2026, there were an average of 3.2 reasons per application. That means the average number of reasons cited per refusal has slightly increased to start 2026, further emphasizing for students and their advisors the importance of submitting fully completed and well-reasoned applications—particularly as major approval rate gaps exist between new and repeat applicants.

Over both 2025 and early 2026, the most common refusal reason cited was that the immigration officer was unconvinced the applicant would leave Canada at the end of their studies, based on their travel history. This reason appeared in 79% of cases in 2025, and 81% of cases so far in 2026:

When weighing a student’s travel history, immigration officers may consider multiple factors. Officers will review past visas to see if applicants followed visa guidelines in other countries. Officers may also look at how many times students have changed their visa status: if it’s happened a lot, the genuinity of their application may be questioned. Students should also know that if they’ve traveled to countries which Canada sees as high-risk, there may be extra screening.

Near the bottom of the refusal reasons list, citations for lack of family ties outside of Canada were halved compared to 2023. This reason was used very rarely until the early 2020s, when it jumped to 4% of cases in 2022 and 8% in 2023. It’s now back to 4%.

The frequency of “other” as a refusal reason was also down significantly in 2026. “Other” allows the immigration officer to share their specific reason in an attached document, and is helpful when none of the standard reasons fit. Its use spiked in 2025 at 21% of cases, but was used only 8% of the time in 2026. This proportion is also low compared to 2023 and 2024, so it will be interesting to see if it persists. As immigration policy is always changing, the implementation of updated guidelines with revised reasons may make this catch-all less prominent.

Rising Use of Financial Refusal Reasons Suggests Focus on Financial Preparedness

Through 2025 and into 2026, citing refusal reasons tied to financial grounds has become much more common. Officers remain concerned about students leaving Canada after graduation based on their existing assets: at least 50% of refusals cited it, making this the second-most common reason for refusal. However, the current visa guidance states this reason must be issued with another reason for refusal on financial grounds.⁴ And, the recent data shows increased doubt that students can support themselves while still enrolled:

In 2025, the share of refusals based on a perceived lack of funds for living expenses was up by 12 percentage points. Meanwhile, refusals were also up 10 percentage points for perceived lack of financial resources for tuition. This trend persisted in early 2026, when the proportion of cases with these reasons rose by similar rates year-over-year. Compared to the difference between 2023 and 2024, during which time the use of these reasons climbed by only two percentage points, the data suggests that immigration officers are paying closer attention to students’ financial capacity.

We expect heightened scrutiny of financial capacity to influence visa refusals through 2026, in line with the government’s stricter guidelines for study permit assessment which were released in July. As noted in CIC News:

The updated instructions, “Study permits: assessing the application,” direct officers to scrutinize the amount(s) and source(s) of applicants’ funding, and state that “in all cases, the source of funds” “must be assessed.”⁵ 

This guidance also highlights that students must have available financial resources to cover their expenses without working in Canada. So, although many international students will work part-time, how some speak about their plan to do so in their application may be hurting their study abroad chances.

Preparing Students for Success

As reasons related to financial capacity continue to populate the list of most common grounds for study permit rejection in 2025 and early 2026, future applicants must pay careful attention to how their application and supporting documents prove their readiness to study in Canada. Being able to cover one-time expenses like international travel, as well as daily living expenses and their first year of tuition are key steps toward study permit success, and later, a balanced life as a student.

One of the best ways to show proof of funds is with a Guaranteed Investment Certificate, (GIC). ApplyBoard is proud to work in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and TD Bank, two of Canada’s largest and most trusted banks, to provide digitally verifiable GICs.

In the upcoming second half of this series, we’ll take a closer look at study permit refusal reason trends among some of Canada’s largest student populations. While applicants from Nigeria, India, and Ghana were tripped up by some of the same grounds for refusal in 2025 and 2026, the most commonly-used refusal reasons still varied. Subscribe to ApplyBoard Insights below to ensure you stay in the loop.

About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. The terms student visa and study permit are generally used interchangeably for Canadian international students. Rather than student visas, Canada provides accepted international students with study permits, which allow those students to enrol in classes at Canadian institutions. When a student is accepted for a study permit, they are also usually provided with a visitor visa, which allows that student to enter Canada for their studies.

2. Data is courtesy of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), unless stated otherwise.

3. In 2025, there were 159,515 study permit refusals. 473,068 instances of refusal grounds were given that year. 473,068 ÷ 159,515 = 2.97, so 3 reasons (on average) per refusal. For 2026, 96,823 refusal grounds divided by 30,648 refusals = 3.16, so 3.2 reasons on average.

4. The current study permit assessment guidelines state that this reason [R216(1)(b): I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay, as stipulated in subsection 216(1) of the IRPR, based on your personal assets and financial status] cannot be the sole reason for refusal based on failure to meet financial resources. Officers can only cite this reason in addition to section R220, if the student is being refused on financial grounds.

5. CIC News, “Canada tightens financial checks for study permits.” July 29, 2026. Accessed August 2026.