Nearly 50,000 international students issued study permits in Canada in 2024 failed to enrol at the colleges and universities where they were accepted, according to government data reported by Immigration News Canada.
This figure, accounting for 6.9% of all international students tracked by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has raised concerns over the effectiveness of Canada’s international student compliance system.
India topped the list with approximately 20,000“no-show” students, followed by:
- China: ~4,200 students
- Nigeria: ~3,900 students
- Ghana: ~2,700 students
- Other countries in the top 10 include Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Rwanda, and the Philippines.
Experts attribute the rise in non-compliance to several factors, including exploitation by fraudulent agents, aspirations to cross into the U.S. illegally, and desires to prioritize work or permanent residency over education.
The revelation coincides with efforts by the Canadian government to reduce the migrant influx.
Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, recently emphasized that Canada’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan aims to slow population growth in the short term while pursuing sustainable long-term strategies.
