'Marriage of convenience' by Indian students in Canada mentioned in internal email: Even advertised on dating apps

Indian students in Canada have allegedly arranged "marriages of convenience" through newspaper advertisements and dating apps, solely to gain residency in the country, according to internal government communications. The practice came to light in a 2025 email exchange between New Delhi and Ottawa.

The email, sent to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officials from Canada's High Commission in India, discussed integrity issues concerning Indian students. Han Duan, first secretary (migration) at the High Commission, wrote that "marriages of convenience" were widely advertised in India. He noted that many Indian applicants relied on these arrangements for financial support in exchange for spousal open work permits.

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Given the high cost of studying and living in Canada, many Indian applicants relied on marriages of convenience to secure financial support in exchange for spousal open work permits. This practice was widely advertised in Indian newspapers and on dating apps.

Duan also observed a decline in both the number and quality of Indian Study Permit applicants following the introduction of a student cap and other policy measures over the past year. He pointed out that Britain, Australia, and New Zealand have also reported decreases in Indian study permit applications after implementing similar restrictions on spousal visas.

Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland, who obtained the email through an access to information request, stated that study permits should not serve as a "dating trampoline" to Canada. He emphasized that Canada should select students who can afford to study without working. The Spousal Open Work Permit, which previously allowed spouses of international students and temporary foreign workers to live and work in Canada, was restricted in 2024. It is now applicable only to the partners of students enrolled in Master's or PhD programs, a change implemented by then-immigration minister Marc Miller.

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Study permits should not be a dating trampoline to Canada.