Nigeria students among those with highest absentee rates in Canada’s 2024 study permit program

DDM News

Canada is grappling with a concerning rise in absenteeism among international students in its 2024 study permit program.

Diaspora digital media (DDM) gathered that nearly 50,000 students who were issued study permits for the spring of 2024 failed to show up at their designated colleges and universities, with Nigerian students—accounting for one of the highest absentee rates—taking a significant share of this non-compliance.

According to data from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Nigeria recorded a non-compliance rate of 10.7%, a stark contrast to the overall international student non-compliance rate of 6.9%.

The IRCC report revealed that out of the 30,920 Nigerian students granted study permits, 3,902 were classified as non-compliant.

Another 1,675 students had their status unreported, underscoring the complexity of tracking international students once they enter the country.

This high absenteeism is part of a troubling trend for Canada, which increasingly relies on foreign students as a crucial source of both revenue and global prestige.

While Nigeria’s 10.7% rate of non-compliance stands out, other countries also show significant absentee rates.

Ghana, for example, has a staggering 31.1% non-compliance rate, while the Democratic Republic of Congo follows closely with a rate of 34.8%.

India, with nearly 20,000 non-compliant students, also faces considerable challenges in student adherence to study permits.

Experts suggest several possible reasons behind this high absenteeism.

Some students might use Canadian study permits as a backdoor to the United States, entering Canada first before illegally crossing the border to the U.S.

Others may choose to stay in Canada and work or pursue permanent residency rather than attend their designated educational institutions.

“Many non-compliant students likely remain in Canada to work or pursue residency,” stated Henry Lotin, a former federal economist.

Furthermore, the role of unregulated foreign agents and consultants has raised alarm.

These agents often help students secure study permits without any intention of actually attending school.

“Exploitation by fraudulent agents is a key issue,” explained Winnipeg immigration lawyer David Matas.

These agents are suspected of facilitating entry into Canada under the guise of education, only for students to abandon their academic pursuits once settled.

In response to the growing issue of non-compliance, Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller introduced stricter regulations in November 2023.

One of these measures involves suspending the operations of colleges and universities that fail to comply with student reporting requirements.

The Canadian government is also enhancing its monitoring systems to track non-compliant students more effectively.

“Canada is aware of increased exploitation of temporary resident visas, including student permits,” stated Renée LeBlanc Proctor, a spokesperson for Minister Miller.

Experts are calling for additional reforms to address the issue.

Henry Lotin advocates for mandatory upfront tuition fee payments from international students to discourage misuse of study permits.

This would ensure that students have a financial commitment to their education and reduce the likelihood of abandoning their studies once in Canada.

Meanwhile, David Matas proposes limiting the involvement of foreign agents and requiring students to work only with Canadian-regulated consultants, who would be held accountable for their actions.

Another pressing concern is the discrepancy between the student population data reported by IRCC and Statistics Canada.

While IRCC reports 644,349 compliant students, Statistics Canada estimates that over one million international students hold valid study permits.

This discrepancy highlights the need for better tracking and reporting systems to ensure that Canada’s international student program remains transparent and efficient.

In conclusion, Canada’s international student program, which contributes billions to the economy, is facing significant challenges in ensuring that students comply with study permit requirements.

Stricter policies, better monitoring, and improved collaboration between government agencies and educational institutions are essential to address the non-compliance issue.

With the growing importance of international students to Canada’s global reputation and financial well-being, maintaining the integrity of the system will be crucial for its ongoing success as a top educational destination.

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