“The department accepts all of the auditor’s recommendations,” stated Immigration Minister Lena Diab, addressing the pressing issues surrounding the International Student Program.
This statement comes amidst alarming findings from a recent audit that highlighted the Immigration Department’s inability to keep pace with the demand for investigations into student visa holders. Approximately 150,000 cases in 2023 and 2024 were flagged for potential non-compliance with study permits, yet only about 4,000 investigations were launched by the federal government.
Of those investigations, 1,600 were marked as inconclusive due to students failing to respond to inquiries from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This lack of action is a source of “serious concern” for officials, as the department struggles to manage a growing backlog.
Despite having a budget to conduct about 2,000 investigations annually until 2028, the IRCC is falling short of its targets. The report indicates that 92% of problematic visa holders applied for other immigration status to remain in Canada, raising questions about the effectiveness of current enforcement measures.
Furthermore, the audit revealed that only around 16,000 of the expired 2024 student visa holders actually left Canada, suggesting that many remain in the country without proper authorization.
The study permit approval rates have also seen a decline, with only 58% of applications approved in 2023, down from 54% in 2022. All provinces experienced larger-than-anticipated declines in study permit approvals in 2024, indicating systemic issues across the board.
Minister Diab acknowledged that the report captures only the first 18 months of a broader multi-year reform effort that runs through 2027. However, the Immigration Department has expressed uncertainty about why approval rates are dropping, leaving many questions unanswered.
As Canada aims to reduce temporary immigrants to less than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027, the current situation presents a significant challenge. The next steps in addressing these compliance issues remain unclear, but officials are under pressure to act swiftly.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the full scope of the reforms and their potential impact on future immigration policies.
