This accounts for nearly 7% of all students registered in the country.
The most violations are among students from India, China, and Nigeria.
India leads with 19,582 violators, though 327,646 students from this country are studying lawfully.
China has 4,279 violators, while 62,519 students follow the rules.
Nigeria shows the highest violation rate among the three, nearly 11%, or 3,902 students.
Other countries, such as Ghana or Rwanda, display even more alarming percentages, but their total student numbers are smaller.
The problem has grown so large that it’s becoming impossible to ignore. Many people are using student visas for purposes other than studying:
- Some come to Canada to stay and work or to seek permanent residency.
- Others cross into the U.S. illegally.
- Some fall victim to fraud.
- Others are promised an easy immigration path but end up deceived.
These stories damage the reputations of not just the students but also the educational institutions involved. Behind every violation lie broken plans and significant financial losses. This highlights the urgent need for systemic change.
The Immigration Minister is already taking action, with plans to tighten student vetting and even temporarily shut down colleges that fail to maintain accountability. But is this enough? And are these the right measures? It seems that stricter rules only address the tip of the iceberg. Why hold foreign students accountable when the root problem—a transparent control system—is missing?
Measures like requiring upfront tuition payment and banning work with foreign agents may be steps in the right direction, but they won’t solve even half the problem, especially for those already here. The real question is whether Canadian authorities are ready to balance the country’s openness with its actual capacity for integration and oversight.
To be honest, the whole situation feels a bit hypocritical. On one hand, Canada invites students, promising quality education. On the other hand, the system itself often turns them into tools, leaving them with little understanding or ability to navigate it, especially when surrounded by unscrupulous agents, fraudsters, or uninformed advisors.
It seems students are at fault, but the conditions they face are far from ideal. Perhaps the real issue lies in the excessive promises Canada has promoted—promises that were never adequately controlled at the government level.
Oleksandra Melnykova, Immigration and Refugee Consultant in Canada.
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