In line with IRCC information obtained by Canadian media outlet The Globe and Mail, worldwide college students filed 13,660 asylum claims in Canada between January 1 and September 30, 2024.
Comparatively, almost 12,000 asylum claims had been made by worldwide college students in 2023 – a large spike from a mere 1,810 claims in 2018.
In line with IRCC information, the nations with the best variety of claims filed by college students on permits and extensions this yr are India, Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Highlighting issues over the rising variety of worldwide college students making use of for asylum in Canada, the immigration minister Marc Miller wrote a letter to The School of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
CICC, which is a regulatory authority in Canada, oversees the regulation of immigration and citizenship consultants, and worldwide scholar advisors.
Although Miller praised CICC for shutting down 3,000 web sites operated by unauthorised practitioners, he raised apprehensions about college students being counselled by third events to offer false data of their asylum purposes.
Counselling asylum seekers to misrepresent themselves to stay in Canada or search everlasting residence could be opposite to the targets of Canada’s immigration system
Marc Miller, Canadian immigration minister
“Canada is devoted to aiding people in want of safety. Nevertheless, counselling asylum seekers to misrepresent themselves to stay in Canada or search everlasting residence could be opposite to the targets of Canada’s immigration system,” learn the letter by Miler, addressed to John Murray, president and CEO, CICC.
Miller attributed the rise in asylum purposes partly to fraudulent claims reportedly promoted by unethical immigration consultants.
Drawing on anecdotal proof from departmental officers, he acknowledged that circumstances within the supply nations stay largely unchanged, indicating that exterior steering could also be a major issue.
“As you recognize, if licensed immigration consultants are contributors, their involvement might represent a violation of part 12 of the Code of Skilled Conduct for School of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Licensees,” learn the letter.
In line with Miller, some college students have been suggested to file their asylum claims quickly after their arrival in Canada, typically throughout the first yr.
“We frequently see these claims filed throughout the first yr, generally for much less legitimate causes, reminiscent of reducing tuition charges to home charges. There’s opportunism at play, and it’s being exploited.”
Moreover, Miller referred to as on the CICC to research licensed consultants who could also be improperly advising worldwide college students to file asylum claims.
Immigration has turn out to be a hot-button subject in Canada as federal elections close to.
The nation, which was as soon as seen as some of the welcoming nations for immigrants, is now witnessing an increase in anti-immigration sentiments.
“Everyone knows the immigration system arrange by IRCC is damaged attributable to unregulated consultants, free governance, and political correctness,” mentioned Daljit Nirman, an immigration lawyer and regulation professor primarily based in Ottawa.
“The query now stays what measures would a possible new authorities led by Pierre Poilievre implement to repair this chaos if delivered to energy.”
As per the Globe and Mail report, Canadian establishments with the best variety of asylum seekers this yr are additionally those with the most important worldwide scholar cohorts within the nation.
Six of the highest 10 faculties are from Ontario, with Conestoga School (520), Seneca School (490), and Niagara School (410) recording essentially the most variety of asylum seekers in 2024.
Whereas some college representatives expressed shock on the variety of asylum seekers coming from their colleges, others denied having any information concerning the identical.
The rise in asylum seekers comes at a time when Canada is predicted to see a virtually 50% drop in examine permits this yr owing to a spread of coverage adjustments aimed toward curbing the variety of non permanent residents within the nation.
In September 2024, the Canadian authorities decreased the worldwide examine allow goal by 10% from the 2024 goal of 485,000.
The latest adjustments have additionally led to over 10,000 worldwide scholar acceptance letters from Canadian establishments to be flagged as doubtlessly fraudulent.
Bronwyn Might, director-general of the Worldwide College students Department on the Immigration Division, knowledgeable MPs final week that IRCC has intercepted greater than 10,000 doubtlessly fraudulent acceptance letters by way of its verification course of over the previous yr.
The tighter checks got here into impact after an Indian immigration guide duped 1000’s of scholars from the north Indian state of Punjab with faux acceptance letters, resulting in lots of them going through deportation hearings in Canada.
