Nigeria, India, China, Ghana, and six other countries have been identified as having the highest number of international students who failed to report to Canadian colleges and universities where they were enrolled.
A report by Immigration News Canada on Thursday revealed that about 50,000 international students issued study permits in 2024 did not show up at their designated institutions.
“In a shocking revelation, close to 50,000 international students who were issued study permits to pursue higher education in Canada were reported as ‘no-shows’ by the colleges and universities where they were supposed to be enrolled, according to government data from spring 2024.
“This figure, representing 6.9% of all international students tracked by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), highlights an alarming trend that has sparked nationwide discussions about the effectiveness of Canada’s international student compliance system,” the report stated.
According to the report, India topped the list with about 20,000 students failing to report, followed by China with 4,200.
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Nigeria ranked third with 3,900 students, while Ghana came fourth with 2,700. Other countries in the top 10 include Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Rwanda, and the Philippines.
The data also showed varying compliance rates. For example, India had a compliance rate of 91.1%, while Nigeria’s was 84.7%. Ghana had the lowest compliance rate among the top four, at 67.4%.
Experts attribute the rise in non-compliance to factors like exploitation by fraudulent agents, illegal U.S. border crossings, and students prioritizing work and residency opportunities over education.
Below is the full list of the top 10 countries and their compliance statistics.
| Country of Origin | Compliant Students | Non-Compliant Students | Not Reported | Compliance Rate | Non-Compliance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 327,646 | 19,582 | 12,553 | 91.1% | 5.4% |
| China | 62,519 | 4,279 | 466 | 93.0% | 6.4% |
| Nigeria | 30,920 | 3,902 | 1,675 | 84.7% | 10.7% |
| Ghana | 5,881 | 2,712 | 139 | 67.4% | 31.1% |
| Iran | 14,039 | 1,848 | 88 | 87.9% | 11.6% |
| Democratic Rep. of Congo | 2,176 | 1,166 | 7 | 65.0% | 34.8% |
| Bangladesh | 11,948 | 984 | 157 | 91.3% | 7.5% |
| Vietnam | 9,573 | 912 | 299 | 88.8% | 8.5% |
| Rwanda | 840 | 802 | 24 | 50.4% | 48.1% |
| Philippines | 28,373 | 688 | 2,078 | 91.1% | 2.2% |
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE