In the bustling bylanes of Hyderabad’s Ameerpet, Delhi’s Rajouri Garden, or Punjab’s Jalandhar, shiny glass offices with names like “Future Abroad,” “Global Wings,” and “DreamVisas” compete for the attention of young Indians desperate to fly west. At first glance, these seem like ordinary education consultancies. But peel back the layers, and a powerful story unfolds — one of ambition, loopholes, and a growing business opportunity riding on India’s migration fever.
A New Industry Born from Aspirations
Over the last decade, immigration consultancy in India has quietly evolved from a side hustle of travel agents to a structured, multi-crore industry. While the official purpose is to provide visa assistance and academic counselling, most agencies also handle documentation, coaching tie-ups (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.), PR applications, and even job placement in countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK.
What used to be handled by embassy-appointed agents or legal consultants abroad is now aggressively localized — and in some cases, democratized — across India’s small towns.
“Earlier, only rich families from metros could afford immigration lawyers. Today, thanks to these consultancies, even a student from Bathinda or Muzaffarpur can dream of studying in Toronto,” says Pallavi Mehra, an ex-visa officer turned education strategist based in Chandigarh.
The Numbers Behind the Boom
India is now the second-largest source of international students globally, after China. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, nearly 1.4 million Indians are currently studying in foreign universities. Canada alone saw over 400,000 Indian students apply in 2023 — an all-time high.
And behind most of these success stories is a local consultant who charged between Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 2 lakhs per application, depending on the destination and package.
“Each file we process costs us Rs. 20,000 in paperwork, courier, and partner commissions. But if the student gets admission, we earn a commission from the college and a referral fee from the bank,” shares Saurabh Khurana, founder of a Delhi-based immigration startup, which expanded from a 1-room office in 2017 to 5 branches across NCR by 2024.
Their annual turnover? Rs. 3.2 crores, with 65% profit margin.
Real-World Story: How a Teacher Became a Visa Tycoon
Meet Jaswinder Kaur, a former English teacher from Ludhiana, who launched “EduVoyage” in 2015 from her garage. Starting with just a laptop and a contact at a Canadian college, she helped 12 students in her first year. Today, her firm processes over 700 student visas annually and recently inked a partnership with a university in Manitoba.
“I saw students being misled by fake agents. So I built trust first — no fake promises, full fee transparency, and honest feedback,” she says.
Her story isn’t an exception anymore. Small-town entrepreneurs, especially women, are turning this sector into a lucrative and impactful venture, while bridging the information gap between Indian dreams and global education.
But Is It All Legal and Safe?
Not always. The immigration consultancy space in India is still largely unregulated, especially for study-abroad and PR-related services.
There’s a licensing system under the Emigration Act, 1983, but it only applies to recruiting agents for labor migration, not education consultants or PR advisors. This has led to a flood of shady players — those who promise guaranteed visas, charge lakhs in advance, and disappear when embassies reject the application.
In 2022, over 3,000 visa fraud cases were registered across states like Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat.
Even the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi issued a public advisory warning against unauthorized consultants.
“Parents need to be vigilant. Ask for documentation, check if they have real tie-ups with colleges, and never pay the entire fee upfront,” advises Harvinder Singh, a retired immigration officer now consulting with NGOs that fight visa scams.
Training and Ethics: The Need of the Hour
Some genuine efforts are being made to bring structure to this growing business:
- Platforms like RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) and MARA (Migration Agents Registration Authority in Australia) offer certification for Indian consultants.
- Startups like Leap Scholar and Yocket are digitizing the process — offering virtual counselling, AI-based admissions predictions, and transparent visa prep online.
Moreover, India is seeing a rise in education-tech partnerships, where immigration consultancies collaborate with online platforms to provide end-to-end student journeys — from test prep to accommodation abroad.
What Lies Ahead?
As Indian students continue to look outward, the immigration consultancy business will only grow. But with that growth must come responsibility.
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has already hinted at building a framework to formalize such services under “Skill India.” Meanwhile, experts recommend a dedicated regulation body — much like SEBI for stock markets — to monitor immigration agents and protect consumers.
For now, the success of this sector rests on trust, transparency, and real-world results.
Conclusion: Dreams Fuel Demand, But Ethics Will Sustain It
Immigration consultancy in India isn’t just a business — it’s a reflection of the country’s biggest export: its talent and ambition. Whether you’re a student looking for global exposure or an entrepreneur seeking purpose-driven profit, this sector offers both opportunity and risk.
The challenge is not just to help people leave — but to ensure they leave with dignity, direction, and a dream worth chasing.
