Justice Minister Sean Fraser, who oversaw immigration during the period in which Auditor General Karen Hogan uncovered instances of fraud in Canada’s international student program, expressed regret for not acting sooner to make significant changes. The Opposition Conservatives have demanded the resignations of Fraser, current Immigration Minister Lena Diab, and Fraser’s immediate successor Marc Miller from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet.
Fraser stated that in hindsight, he wished to have implemented a cap on the program, allowing provinces to allocate their respective share to different institutions. He mentioned that the federal government engaged in negotiations with provinces requesting increased access to immigration programs, which ultimately failed, leading to the imposition of a cap in January 2024.
Hogan’s public report highlighted “critical weaknesses” in the integrity controls of the international student program, revealing that the Immigration Department neglected to investigate numerous “high-risk” cases. Approximately 800 cases from 2018 to 2023 involved students entering Canada with fraudulent documents or misinformation, with over half managing to remain through permit renewals or other immigration applications.
Moreover, out of around 150,000 potential fraud cases, the department investigated only 2,000 annually in 2023 and 2024 due to insufficient funding. The Conservatives reiterated their call for cabinet dismissals, emphasizing the need for accountability in addressing the uninvestigated fraud cases.
In response to criticisms, Carney asserted that all fraud cases since the new government took office were being thoroughly investigated, assuring that the system was effectively managed. Immigration Minister Diab highlighted improvements in oversight of the student visa program and emphasized centralizing and streamlining investigations to enhance efficiency. Diab’s parliamentary secretary, Peter Fragiskatos, noted a significant decline in international student permits issued, aiming to improve the department’s integrity efforts.
Diab announced plans to centralize investigations but did not specify any budget increases for the process. Fragiskatos mentioned that the reduction in permit numbers would facilitate maintaining the integrity expected by Canadians. The government’s focus on centralizing investigations aims to enhance oversight and efficiency in handling fraud cases.
