Auditor General Karen Hogan has highlighted concerns about the immigration department’s handling of “high-risk cases” within the international student program. According to Hogan’s latest report, the department failed to investigate or follow up on a significant number of cases involving potential fraud in approved student visa applications.
The audit revealed that the immigration department faced resource constraints, leading to a lack of action on reported instances of fraud among hundreds of approved applications. Immigration Minister Lena Diab acknowledged the findings, stating that the report serves as an initial insight into ongoing efforts to reform the international student program.
In 2023 and 2024, approximately 150,000 cases were flagged due to potential non-compliance with study permit terms by student visa holders. However, only around 4,000 investigations were launched, with 1,600 deemed inconclusive as students did not respond to inquiries from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Hogan emphasized the importance of completing investigations, even if students fail to cooperate, to maintain program integrity. The audit also highlighted the department’s limited capacity to conduct investigations, with only about 2,000 investigations feasible per year until 2028.
Moving forward, Diab announced plans to centralize and streamline investigations within the department. However, specific details on increased annual investigations or budget adjustments were not disclosed. The audit further exposed lapses in following up on cases involving fraudulent documentation and misrepresented information in study permit applications.
The report underscored the department’s inability to track international students with expired visas leaving Canada. It also outlined the government’s broader objectives to reduce the percentage of temporary immigrants in Canada by the end of 2027. Notably, new student visa approvals fell below projected levels in 2024 and 2025, prompting concerns about declining approval rates without clear explanations from the immigration department.
The audit recommended enhanced collaboration between relevant agencies to address the gaps identified in the international student program. The report serves as a critical evaluation of the department’s procedures and underscores the need for improved oversight and enforcement to safeguard the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
