Auditor General Karen Hogan has highlighted concerns regarding the immigration department’s failure to address “high-risk cases” that are undermining the integrity of the international student program. According to Hogan’s recent report, the department lacked the capacity to investigate claims of fraud in numerous approved applications, neglecting the need for scrutiny in such instances.
During a House of Commons immigration committee meeting, Immigration Minister Lena Diab acknowledged the report as an initial step towards a comprehensive four-year plan to overhaul the international student program. Diab, who served as minister for a portion of the audit period, emphasized the importance of using the audit findings to guide future reforms.
The audit revealed that in 2023 and 2024, approximately 150,000 cases raised concerns over student visa holders potentially breaching the terms of their study permits, often due to non-attendance at their designated academic institutions. Despite these flags, the federal government only initiated around 4,000 investigations, with 1,600 being inconclusive due to students failing to respond to inquiries from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Hogan urged the department to pursue these investigations rigorously, even in cases where students are unresponsive. The audit disclosed that IRCC attempts to contact students involved in investigations twice before closing a file as inconclusive, a process spanning approximately six months. However, due to budget constraints, the immigration department indicated it could only conduct around 2,000 investigations annually until 2028.
Diab announced plans to centralize and streamline investigations moving forward but did not specify the anticipated increase in annual investigations or potential budget adjustments. The audit also identified 800 cases where the department overlooked applicants who submitted fraudulent documents or misrepresented information on their study permit applications between 2018 and 2023.
The report underscored the critical nature of addressing these cases promptly to prevent potential risks in immigration applications. It further noted that a significant portion of problematic visa holders sought other immigration statuses, with some obtaining permanent residency. Diab assured that student visa extensions undergo thorough review processes to prevent lapses in oversight.
Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner criticized the department’s response, expressing concerns over the lack of clear action plans to rectify the system’s shortcomings. The audit also highlighted the department’s inability to track the departure of international students with expired visas, emphasizing the need for improved coordination with the Canada Border Services Agency, as recommended by the auditor.
Moreover, the report outlined a decline in new student visa approvals, with rates falling below projected levels in recent years. Despite efforts to identify potential causes for the drop in approval rates, the department remains uncertain about the underlying factors contributing to this trend. The audit identified unexpected reductions in study permit approvals across all provinces, raising questions about the consistency of approval processes nationwide.