For years, the quickest route to prestige and higher pay for many Indian families was simple: an overseas degree. But as the US, Australia, Canada and other traditional destinations have tightened student intakes and work pathways, that once-reliable route is growing narrower.
With fewer guaranteed seats abroad and more scrutiny of temporary work schemes, the question is no longer only whether a student can get into a foreign university, it is whether a foreign credential is still the best return on a family’s investment.
advertisement
The policy pivot is clear and recent. Australia set a national planning level of 270,000 new international student commencements for 2025 to rebalance campus populations and ease housing pressures.
Canada reduced its study-permit allocations to 437,000 for 2025 as part of a broader effort to manage temporary resident numbers and services.
These moves have immediately narrowed pathways for aspiring overseas students and made planning less predictable.
Dr Priestly
Continue Reading on India Today
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.