Only a fraction of 153,000 flagged international students were investigated: AG

OTTAWA — Canada’s immigration department only conducted 4,057 investigations in 2023 and 2024 out of a total of 153,000 cases of potential non-compliance under Canada’s international student program, according to a new report by the auditor general released on Monday.

The report said nearly 93 per cent of 700 Canadian learning institutions submitted reports between 2023 and 2024 that flagged the 153,000 cases.

But the department only has funding to investigate 2,000 cases annually. Of the investigations the department did conduct, the report said the department took “limited action” in confirming non-compliance beyond contacting the student for more information.

“About 41 per cent of these cases could not be closed because of a lack of response from students,” the report said. “Another 50 cases were identified as non‑compliant and requiring further follow‑up by the department.”

Monday’s report also investigated how Canada’s immigration department was executing the international student cap that was announced by former immigration minister Marc Miller in 2024.

The report found that the department’s approval rate for new study permits was lower than what was initially projected.

In 2024, the department forecasted approval of 348,900 new study permits but only approved 149,559. This represents a 67 per cent reduction compared to 2023. In 2025, the department forecasted 255,360 new study permits, but as of September 2025, only 50,370 were approved.

All provinces experienced larger than expected declines in new study permits. The report said several provinces experienced a 59 per cent or greater decrease in approvals in 2024.

The auditor general’s report also found that there was an increase in the number of study permit extensions relative to new study permits.

“This was due in part to the number of international students with post‑secondary study permits who were in Canada, which, according to the department, totalled 675,070 as of September 2025,” the report said.

The report said two-thirds of approved study permits were for extensions, which totalled 77,295 as of last September, with an additional 60,657 unprocessed extension applications.

The report also found the department failed to monitor which students were expected to leave each year and which students had left the country.

“It is important for the department to track this information because students are required to leave Canada after permits expire unless they have applied for other immigration programs,” the report said.

The auditor general’s office looked at 549,000 students whose study permits expired in 2024 and found 93 per cent were allowed to remain in Canada.

Of the 39,500 individuals who should no longer be in Canada, the auditor general’s office confirmed with the Canada Border Services Agency that 16,000 had left the country.

In a statement, Immigration Minister Lena Diab said she welcomed the report and would agree to the changes recommended by the auditor general’s office.

“We accept the Auditor General’s recommendations to strengthen follow-up where suspected fraud or non-compliance is identified,” she said. “We will act to improve these processes.”

More to come.

National Post

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