Federal audit flags gaps in international student program oversight, thousands of cases uninvestigated

Canada’s auditor general says there are significant weaknesses in how the federal government monitors compliance within the international student program, raising concerns about oversight and enforcement.

In a report released Monday, Auditor General Karen Hogan found that roughly 150,000 cases in 2023 and 2024 were flagged for potential non-compliance with study permit conditions, according to the audit of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Despite the volume of flagged cases, the report says only about 4,000 investigations were initiated. Of those, approximately 1,600 were deemed inconclusive after individuals did not respond to the department. Officials told the auditor the department has resources to carry out about 2,000 investigations per year.

The audit also identified gaps in earlier enforcement. Between 2018 and 2023, the department did not follow up on about 800 cases where approved study permit applicants were later found to have used fraudulent documents or misrepresented information. According to the report, nearly all of those individuals went on to apply for other forms of immigration status, with 456 approvals granted.

The findings point to systemic challenges in verifying compliance and enforcing rules tied to study permits, as Canada continues to rely on international students as part of its broader immigration system.