Indians make up 40% of 'no-show' foreign students in Canadian colleges
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Indian students comprised a significant portion of international students reported as "no-shows" at Canadian colleges and universities during March and April 2024.
According to a report by The Globe and Mail, out of 49,676 international students who failed to attend their designated institutions, 19,582 were Indians, accounting for 39.41% of the total.
These figures represented 5.4% of the total Indian students tracked by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The overall non-compliance rate for international students, indicating those with study permits who did not attend their institutions, was 6.9%.
Chinese students accounted for 4,279 no-shows, followed by Nigeria (3,902) and Ghana (2,712). However, students from Rwanda had the highest non-compliance rate at 48.1%, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (34.8%) and Ghana (31.1%) following closely.
Henry Lotin, a former federal economist and immigration expert, highlighted that most Indian students classified as no-shows were likely still in Canada rather than crossing into the United States. "A very small share of such students would make their way to the U.S. Most aspire to work and become permanent residents of Canada," Lotin explained.
Canadian colleges and universities are required to report biannually on whether international students are attending their institutions as per their study permits.
India's Enforcement Directorate is currently investigating the involvement of 262 Canadian colleges and over 4,000 Indian entities in a money-laundering case linked to the illegal trafficking of Indians into the United States via Canada.
This probe stems from a tragic incident in January 2022, where an Indian family attempting to cross into the U.S. illegally from Canada froze to death during a blizzard. The family had reportedly paid smugglers to guide them across the border.
The high number of no-shows raises questions about the misuse of Canada’s student visa program and highlights broader issues regarding immigration compliance and illegal trafficking.