Canada sees 50,000 ‘no-show’ international students; 19,582 from India

Close to 50,000 international students who were granted study permits in Canada were reported as "no-shows" at their designated colleges and universities. This means that they did not attend their classes, even though they had permission to study. Among these students, the largest group came from India, with a total of 19,582 students not showing up, according to a report that used government data from the spring of 2024.

This issue was highlighted in a report by The Globe and Mail, which referred to the data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The number of non-compliant students made up 6.9% of all international students recorded by the IRCC during this time. Canada’s International Student Compliance Regime, introduced in 2014, requires educational institutions to report on student attendance twice a year. This system helps identify students who might not be following the rules, ensuring that the educational system is not being abused by fake students or questionable schools.

The system's goal is to help prevent fraud and assist in detecting schools that might not meet Canadian standards. During March and April of 2024, colleges and universities reported on students from 144 countries. The data revealed that many students were not attending their courses as required by their study permits. The countries with the highest rates of “no-shows” included the Philippines (2.2% or 688 students), China (6.4% or 4,279 students), Iran (11.6% or 1,848 students), and Rwanda (48.1% or 802 students).

One expert, Henry Lotin, who is a former federal economist, suggested that requiring international students to pay their fees upfront could help reduce abuses in the system. Nearly 20,000 Indian students, representing 5.4% of all international students tracked by the IRCC, were flagged for non-compliance with their visas.

The situation has raised concerns in India, where law enforcement is investigating possible connections between certain Canadian colleges and organizations in India that might be involved in helping students illegally cross the border into the United States. Instead of attending their classes in Canada, these students may have been trying to enter the U.S. unlawfully. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has reached out to India for more information on the ongoing investigations.

According to Lotin, many Indian students who were flagged as “no-shows” likely remained in Canada, choosing to work and settle there, rather than crossing into the U.S. He also pointed out that there has been a rise in the number of international students claiming asylum in Canada. While only a small number might have crossed into the U.S., the majority of these students are likely staying in Canada with hopes of eventually becoming permanent residents.

In response to the issue, Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller introduced stricter regulations in November 2024. Colleges and universities that fail to report student attendance and compliance with study permit conditions could face suspension from accepting international students for up to a year. Additionally, the IRCC is conducting more checks on students who appear to be violating the terms of their study permits.

Canada has become more concerned about temporary resident visas, such as those for students, being exploited. The rise in international student numbers and global challenges like conflict and fraud have led to more scrutiny of the system. The government is also aware that some individuals might be crossing into the U.S. illegally from Canada with the help of smuggling networks.

The total number of international students who failed to attend classes, after receiving study permits, stands at 49,676, according to the IRCC figures. There is also a significant number of students—23,514—whose attendance status has not been reported by their institutions, making up 3.3% of the total. This means that at least 10% of the students who received study permits are unaccounted for.

Lotin emphasized that the IRCC data shows a gap between the number of international students counted by Statistics Canada and the number tracked by the immigration department. Statistics Canada’s count of over one million international students does not match the IRCC’s records, suggesting that there could be even more unreported or missing students.

Lotin also called for better and more transparent data collection to address the issue. Meanwhile, critics like Conservative immigration spokesperson Tom Kmiec have accused the government of mismanaging the immigration system. Immigration lawyer David Matas pointed out that the abuse of study permits is often done by foreign agents or consultants, not the students themselves. One possible solution, Matas suggested, is to allow applicants to only use services from Canadian lawyers and consultants who are regulated by law.

In conclusion, the problem of non-compliant international students has raised alarms about the effectiveness of Canada’s immigration and education systems. The government is tightening regulations, and investigations are ongoing to ensure the integrity of the student visa program.

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