Indian student mobility is “in turmoil” following a unsettled period of changing immigration restrictions and future policy uncertainty, according to a leading education agent.

New data shared by the Indian education minister in March shows the number of Indians studying abroad fell by 15 per cent last year, from 892,989 in 2023 to 759,064 in 2024.

All four of the most popular English-speaking destinations saw a decline, with Canada experiencing the most dramatic decrease of 41 per cent (233,532 compared with 137,608), followed by the UK, where numbers fell by 27 per cent (136,921 compared with 98,890).

In the US, where visa grant rates have fallen significantly, numbers declined by 13 per cent (234,473 compared?with 204,058) and, in Australia, they fell by 12 per cent (68,572 compared?with 78,093).

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It follows a politically turbulent period in these countries, with the introduction of stricter immigration policies contributing to the declines, including an almost-total ban on dependant visas in the UK.

In Canada, the government introduced caps on the number of international students allowed in, while a heated political row between Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and former prime minister Justin Trudeau soured relations between the two countries.

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In Australia, increased checks on visa applications as well as attempts to introduce caps have made students “a little cautious”, said Sushil Sukhwani, director of education agency Edwise International.

“International student mobility is in turmoil at this point in India,” as a result of these factors, said Sonya Singh, founder and chief executive of SIEC Education. At the same time, other destinations have benefited from increased interest.

“Students choosing Western Europe over these destinations is a reality and Germany and Ireland have been huge beneficiaries,” said Singh.

The number of Indian students heading to Germany rose by 49 per cent, from 23,296 to 34,703, the figures show.

“Germany stands out for its affordable tuition, tech innovation, and robust employment opportunities,” said Manisha Zaveri, joint managing director at education agency Career Mosaic.

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Meanwhile France, where numbers rose by 14 per cent to 8,538, is “drawing STEM and management talent with its two-year post-study work visa, access to Schengen mobility, and substantial €109 billion (?91 billion) investment in AI”, she said.

Although numbers to Russia also increased by 34 per cent to 31,444, Singh believes there is little overlap between those students and the ones considering English-speaking destinations.

“These are students who are looking for cheap options with low entry requirements and hope to move to other countries from Russia,” she said. “This segment has always been there and will continue to have its share.”

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Looking forward, in the US, “there are some indications that Trump is going to [provide] clarity on exactly how he’s going to be dealing with Indian students coming in,” Sukhwani said, adding that he expects this to be a “positive” development.

Despite the declines, agents agreed that Indian students are still keen to study in the top anglophone destinations.

These countries will “continue to hold immense value due to their academic prestige, global networks, and innovation-driven economies”, said Aritra Ghosal, founder and director of OneStep Global.

“The key question is how they will respond to changing student expectations. Clarity in immigration policies, expanded post-study work opportunities, and stronger institutional support will determine their ability to remain at the forefront of global education.”

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helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com