Amid the Indian-Canada row, the number of study permits for Indian students has sharply declined. The number of study permits Canada issued to Indian students fell sharply last year after India ejected Canadian diplomats. In an interview with Reuters, Canada’s Immigration Minister said, the number of study permits for Indians is unlikely to rebound soon. Diplomatic tensions erupted in June last year after Canadian PM Trudeau alleged India’s involvement in killing of pro-Khalistani Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In October, Canada was forced to pull 41 diplomats, or two-thirds of its staff, out of India on orders from New Delhi. With more than 41%, Indians have formed the largest group of international students in Canada in recent years. International students are a cash cow for Canadian universities as they bring in about C$22 billion annually. Canada is a popular destination for international students since it is relatively easy to obtain work permits after finishing courses. In 2023, Canada had projected that some 900,000 international students would study in Canada that year.