A recent report by Immigration News Canada has revealed that 50,000 international students who were issued study permits in 2024 failed to report to their designated Canadian colleges and universities, raising concerns over student compliance and potential visa fraud.
According to government data from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), this figure represents 6.9% of all international students tracked by the Canadian immigration system. The top countries with the highest number of missing students include India, China, Nigeria, and Ghana.
India topped the list with about 20,000 missing students, followed by China with 4,200. Nigeria ranked third, with 3,900 students failing to report, while Ghana came fourth with 2,700 students. Other countries in the top ten include Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Rwanda, and the Philippines.
Despite the concerning statistics, the data also showed that compliance rates varied among countries. India’s compliance rate stood at 91.1%, while Nigeria’s was 84.7%. Ghana, however, recorded the lowest compliance rate among the top four, at 67.4%, suggesting a significant percentage of its students may have abandoned their studies for other pursuits.
Why Are Students Going Missing?
Experts believe the rising non-compliance rate among international students is linked to several factors, including:
Fraudulent immigration agents misleading students; Illegal border crossings into the United States; Students prioritizing work opportunities over education
“Many of these students may have used education as a pathway to enter Canada but never intended to complete their studies,” an immigration expert noted.
The Canadian government has been implementing stricter immigration policies to curb student visa fraud and ensure compliance. In December 2023, authorities announced measures to tighten the issuance of study permits and crack down on institutions that fail to properly track international students.
With Nigeria and other countries facing increasing scrutiny, the situation raises questions about how Canada’s immigration system can effectively monitor and enforce student compliance while maintaining its reputation as a top study destination.
The full list of the top 10 non-compliant countries and their statistics has been made available, showing the percentage of students who failed to report to their institutions despite receiving valid study permits.
