Record Number of International Students File Asylum Claims Amid Crackdown on Study Visas

A record 14,000 international students filed asylum claims in the first nine months of this year amid Canada's crackdown on study visas and temporary residency.

According to Immigration Minister Mark Miller, many students entering Canada on study permits make false claims and are advised to do so by external counsel.

Federal immigration data shows that 13,660 international students attending universities and colleges filed asylum claims between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 this year, compared to nearly 12,000 asylum claims filed by international students throughout the entire year of 2023. In 2018, the number was only 1,810.

This figure is expected to rise even further in 2024, as data for the remaining three months of the year is yet to be released. At the same time, international student permits have fallen by 100,000 in the first nine months of 2024 compared to 2023, indicating that fewer students are being approved to come to Canada.