Vietnamese Students and Canada Study Permit Approval Trends
By Muntasir • Published Jul 31, 2026 • Updated Aug 08, 2026 • Study Abroad, Visas & Student Mobility
Canada approved far fewer study permits nationally from 2024 onward, and Vietnamese applicants face the same tighter financial and documentation checks as everyone else. IRCC data shows national approvals fell to about 267,890 new study permits in 2024, a 48 percent drop from 2023, with approval rates falling further through 2025.
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National refusal rates climbed from about 38 percent in 2023 to around 52 percent in 2024.
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Financial proof gets more scrutiny now. Officers increasingly cite insufficient funds as a refusal reason.
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Vietnamese applicants also need a provincial attestation letter (PAL) for most applications since January 22, 2024.
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The Student Direct Stream, which many Vietnamese applicants used for faster processing, ended on November 8, 2024.
A tighter system since 2024
Canada tightened international student intake starting in 2024, and the effect shows up clearly in the national numbers. IRCC issued around 267,890 new study permits in 2024, a 48 percent decline from 2023, falling short of the government's own intake target for the year, according to IRCC data reported by ICEF Monitor. National refusal rates rose from about 38 percent in 2023 to roughly 52 percent in 2024, and climbed further into 2025.
Vietnam sits among the larger source countries for Canadian study permits, so its applicants feel every part of this shift. IRCC does not publish a simple Vietnam-only approval percentage on a fixed schedule, so treat any specific country-level figure you see elsewhere with caution and check IRCC's own open data portal for the latest breakdown before relying on a number.
What actually changed for Vietnamese applicants
Two concrete policy changes hit Vietnamese applicants directly rather than through a general tightening of officer discretion.
The provincial attestation letter (PAL) became mandatory for most study permit applications from January 22, 2024. Vietnamese applicants now need this letter from the province hosting their school, on top of their acceptance letter, before IRCC will process their file.
The Student Direct Stream (SDS) ended on November 8, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET. Vietnam was one of the countries eligible for SDS, which offered faster processing in exchange for stricter upfront proof of funds through a Guaranteed Investment Certificate. Applications submitted after that date go through the regular study permit stream instead, with standard processing times and standard financial documentation rules.
What this means for your application
Financial proof carries more weight now that SDS is gone. Officers assess whether your documented funds and study plan genuinely support your stated purpose, and weak or inconsistent financial evidence is one of the most common refusal reasons across all applicant countries, not only Vietnam. Build your funds documentation carefully, and keep it consistent across every form and bank statement you submit.
Apply for your PAL early, since your school will not issue one until you accept your offer and pay a tuition deposit, and IRCC will not process your study permit without a valid PAL. Combine that with a realistic timeline: with SDS gone, expect standard processing times rather than the faster track SDS used to offer, and apply well ahead of your intended start date.
Check IRCC's official study permit statistics and processing pages directly before you apply, since approval trends and financial requirements are reviewed and adjusted regularly.