Nearly 50,000 Foreign Students Reported as ‘No-Shows’ by Canadian Schools

Nearly 50,000 international students who received study permits for Canada were flagged as “no-shows” at the colleges and universities where they were supposed to enroll, according to government data from March and April 2024. Indian nationals comprised the largest share of these missing students at 19,582, forming part of the 6.9% of permit-holders who failed to meet attendance requirements. Under the International Student Compliance Regime, implemented in 2014, institutions must report on student compliance twice a year, a measure aimed at identifying fraudulent applications and questionable schools.

According to The Globe and Mail, the data revealed varying non-compliance rates across different countries: for instance, China recorded 6.4% no-shows (4,279 students), Iran’s rate was 11.6% (1,848 students), and Rwanda’s stood at a striking 48.1% (802 students). Designed to ensure legitimate study intentions, Canada’s compliance system has taken on added significance amid growing international enrollments. While many students continue to pursue their studies successfully, the high volume of no-shows underscores challenges in verifying applicants and preserving the integrity of Canada’s higher education sector.