New Delhi: According to the data released by the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada for March and April 2024, around 50 thousand international students were declared no-shows, out of which 20 thousand were Indians. This number is 5.4 percent of the total Indian students who went to study in Canada. None of the shows here refer to students who have attended Canadian colleges and universities, but for some reason did not go there. Thus, a total of 49,676 students were missing, while Canadian colleges and universities failed to report another 23,514 international students.
In other words, this student has not arrived at the designated institutions to begin his studies as per his study permit.
Overall, there were 6.9 percent of study permit holders who did not get into the college they took admission in. The data was collected under the International Student Compliance Report, under which educational institutions are required to provide details of the applications they receive every two years.
The report shows that students from a total of 144 countries were monitored.
The absence of Indian students in such large numbers is a matter of concern not only for the Canadian education system but also for the perception of Indian students. Experts believe that there could be many reasons for this. These include admission based on incorrect information, not continuing studies due to financial challenges or other reasons. Canadian authorities have stressed the need to increase regular reporting at educational institutions and tighten scrutiny of study permit holders as they crack down on the issue.
In this regard, Henry Lottin, founder of Integrative Trade and Economics and former federal economist, said that if such abuse of the system is to be prevented, international students should be charged upfront fees.
Indian legal authorities are also currently investigating various Canadian colleges and two entities in India for misuse of Canadian student visas to cross the US border. Instead of attending classes, these students cross the border illegally and go to America.
The RCMP said international police liaison officers should reach out to India and seek more information about the ongoing investigation. Lotin said most of the Indian students who did not protest were working in Canada and wanted to settle there. Countless people have crossed the border illegally. Most of the students want to work and settle in Canada.
Canada’s Immigration Minister Mark Miller has tightened rules for international students to prevent abuse of the system. As a result, colleges and universities that do not submit international student compliance reports will be suspended or barred from accepting foreign students from the next academic year.
What is no-show?
The term no-show is used in Canada. If a foreign student coming to study in Canada takes admission there and completes all the procedures to come to study in college and then does not come, then such students are called no-show students. This mainly applies to foreign students. These students do not reach the designated institutions to begin their studies as per their study permits.
Countries with highest no-show rates
Countries with the highest no-show rates include Rwanda at 48.1 percent (802 students), Iran at 11.6 percent (1,848 students), China at 6.4 percent (4,279 students), while India at 5.3 percent (20,000 students).
