A significant portion of Indian students — among 50,000 international students — reported as "no-shows" at Canadian colleges and universities in March and April 2024, according to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Of these, almost 20,000 were from India, representing 5.4 per cent of the total Indian students tracked by the agency, stated The Indian Express.
Overall, non-compliant international students accounted for 6.9 per cent of all study permit holders. The figures were collected under the International Student Compliance Regime, which requires educational institutions to report on enrollment twice a year to ensure adherence to study permits.
Reports indicated that students from 144 countries were tracked, with non-compliance rates varying widely. For instance, these are the students who failed to attend their designated schools:
- 688 students (2.2 per cent) from the Philippines and
- 4,279 (6.4 per cent) from ChinaIn contrast, the non-compliance rate was much higher for Iran (11.6 per cent) and Rwanda (48.1 per cent).
India investigates
Indian law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation into alleged links between Canadian colleges and entities in India accused of facilitating illegal migration across the Canada-US border. A few Indian students reportedly used study permits as a pretext to enter Canada and cross the US illegally.
Expert reacts
Henry Lotin, a former federal economist and immigration expert, told The Globe and Mail that most non-compliant Indian students likely remained in Canada, working while aiming for permanent residency.
The issue has drawn attention to potential gaps in the system. Lotin suggested requiring international students to pay fees upfront to prevent abuse. Immigration Minister Marc Miller recently introduced stricter rules, including penalties for institutions that fail to report for enrollment.
A related concern highlighted discrepancies between Statistics Canada’s estimates of over one million valid student visa holders in April 2024 and IRCC’s smaller figures based on enrollment data. This gap has raised questions about the actual number of unaccounted-for students, stated The Indian Express.
Experts have called for greater transparency and improved data collection to address these issues. Canadian immigration lawyers suggested restricting the use of foreign consultants in student visa applications to curb fraudulent practices.