47,000 International Students Living Illegally in Canada, India Tops the List

As many as 47,000 international students may be living illegally in Canada, according to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The revelation came during a House of Commons committee meeting, where data was presented on students who entered Canada on study visas but may have violated their visa conditions.

Aiesha Zafar, Head of Migration Integrity at IRCC, said that 47,175 individuals are potentially “non-compliant”, meaning they are not attending classes as required under their student visas.

Asked if certain countries were overrepresented among such cases, she confirmed that India was among the top countries.

The IRCC data is largely based on reports from Canadian post-secondary institutions, which are required to notify authorities when international students stop attending classes. Such cases are then referred to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for possible enforcement. If a school fails to report a student, IRCC has no direct mechanism to track them.

Zafar acknowledged that determining the exact number of violators remains difficult, adding, “Any foreign national in Canada would be under the purview of the Canada Border Services Agency, which has an inland investigation team.”

As per IRCC figures, in spring 2024, about 50,000 foreign students were reported as “no-shows” by their institutions. Of these, 19,582 were from India, followed by 4,279 from China. The report highlights growing concerns over compliance and calls for stricter tracking of international students.

Meanwhile, Canada has witnessed a steep drop in new study permits issued to Indian students. According to ICEF Monitor, only 52,765 permits were granted in the first seven months of 2025, compared with 1,88,255 during the same period in 2024.

If the trend continues, total permits for 2025 may reach only 90,454—a 67.5% decline from 2023. Experts attribute the fall to stricter IRCC policies, longer processing times, rising financial requirements, and increased competition from other countries offering better post-study work opportunities.

Indian students make up a major share of Canada’s international student community, particularly in Ontario, where they account for over 60% of total enrolments.