The USB has the largest proportion of “ghost students” in Manitoba

According to data dating from the fall of 2024 immigration, refugees and citizenship Canada (IRCC) obtained by Radio-Canada thanks to a request for access to information made from IRCC, the University of Saint-Boniface (USB) leads to the provinces and colleges in the province that welcome the most “ghost students”. Consequently,

The last 2024 compliance report ofIRCC indicates that 38 foreign students from theUSBor approximately 10 % of the total international registration of the establishment, did not appear in class at the last fall session.

L’USB is thus at the top of the provincial ranking. For example, in front of the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. Nevertheless, These two establishments each welcome less than 2 % ghost students, with a much larger international cohort.

Always according to data fromIRCC50 foreign students from theUSB were declared as potentially non -compliantor 13.3 % of the total international registration of the establishment.

Overall, in Manitoba, out of around 18,000 foreign students who hold a study permit registered in universities and colleges, 1354, or 7.4 %, were declared as potentially non -compliant by the federal agency.

Any college or university outside usb largest proportion “ghost students” Quebec must deliver compliance reports each year to IRCC. In addition, Since 2014, foreign students who have been studying for a period of more than 6 months have been targeted by these reports.

They allow IRCC detect holders of study permit which may not comply with the conditions of their visa, while being accepted in a university or a college. This regime aims, for example, those who could try to enter Canada as students to join the job market.

Radio-Canada asked for an interview at theUSBat the University of Winnipeg. at the University of Brandon, Red River College Polytech usb largest proportion “ghost students” and the Assiniboine Community College. No establishment has accepted. and several of them told us that they had no one available for an interview or simply did not respond to our request.

According to the vice-rector for planning. study programs at the University of Manitoba, Greg Smith, absenteeism of foreign students can be explained by various reasons: the long period of obtaining study permits which delay the arrival of students, or even a financial or personal situation that changes.

We cannot know the real reason why students want to come to Canada. But we accept them according to their merits. They follow an academic process, their file is evaluated and we accept them in good faith, because they have decided to come here and follow a curriculum, and if they do not do it, it is for their own reasonshe said, stressing that the University usb largest proportion “ghost students” of Manitoba has been asking for a deposit to students since last year during registration.

Usb largest proportion "ghost students" – Usb largest proportion "ghost students"

Everything we have is suspicion

In the opinion of the lawyer in immigration law Stephen McIntosh. established in Winnipeg, several reasons could explain this phenomenon. One example among so many others: the lack of financial resources of foreign students. who suddenly have no choice but to work.

It is quite possible, but we don’t know. Everything we do are hypotheseshe mentions.

According to him. it can also be foreign students who ask for asylum because of the risks awaiting them in their native country.

I have already had cases like that where students would have asked for asylum in Canada. due to the fact that their parents were targeted by state police [de leur pays natal]often for political reasonshe explains.

Everything we have is suspicion. There is no evidence where these students went.

The newspaper The Globe and Mail Reported last November that 13,660 asylum applications were submitted in Canada by students between January 1 and September 30, 2024, against 1810 in 2018.

Krishna Gagné, lawyer in immigration usb largest proportion “ghost students” law established in Quebec, is not surprised by these figures.

It’s high, but I’m not shocked, because we have seen a lot of non-compliance in recent yearsshe underlines.

According to her. the softenings implemented during the Pandemic of COVID-19 which allowed foreign students to work full time all year would have prompted some of them to use the study permit as front door in Canada.

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This message quickly spread internally. which attracted many people whose main objective was to work and not to study. […] So. it was really a bypass, a front doorcontinues the lawyer, adding that a work permit is more difficult to obtain, because it requires having found a job and making an impact assessment on the labor market (Emit).

In the opinion of Ms. Gagné. although it is speculation, it could also be easier to ask for permanent residence outside Quebec as a French -speaking.

Rather than submitting to Quebec at the long time, many choose another province that offers a program usb largest proportion “ghost students” for Francophonesshe explains.

Since last fall. Quebec has paused two permanent immigration programs, the time to review its objectives in this area, now set down.

Manitoba, on the other hand, has been reduced by half its places for the program of provincial candidates by Ottawa. The federal government has lowered its immigration objectives last fall.