logo
Surge in asylum reveals struggles of international students amid Canada's immigration crackdown

Surge in asylum reveals struggles of international students amid Canada's immigration crackdown

Time of India13-05-2025
Canada
is seeing a record-breaking surge in international students seeking
asylum
, with 2024 marking an all-time high, and it is expected to rise in 2025.
Over 20,245 international students claimed asylum in 2024, according to newly obtained federal data that is nearly double the number in 2023 and six times higher than in 2019.
In just the first three months of 2025, 5,500 asylum claims were filed by students, a 22% rise from the same period last year.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Play War Thunder now for free
War Thunder
Play Now
Undo
Students from countries experiencing turmoil arrive on study permits, often with hopes of building a new life, but when traditional immigration pathways close, asylum becomes a last resort.
'The government has closed a lot of doors for international students to apply for permanent residence,' said Toronto-based immigration lawyer Chantal Desloges. 'It's funneling people to look for other solutions.'
Live Events
Many students, especially from countries in Africa and parts of Asia, arrive to find exploitative conditions at under-regulated private colleges, some dubbed 'diploma mills.' Their degrees often hold little value in the job market, and promised work or immigration pathways evaporate.
Among the schools with the highest number of asylum claims in 2024:
Conestoga College (720 claims)
Seneca College (650)
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (500)
Niagara College (495)
Collège Ellis – Trois-Rivières (475)
Yet colleges say they are in the dark. 'We are not in a position to know the intentions of international students,' said Université du Québec à Chicoutimi.
Ellis College warned that without better communication from immigration officials, it may stop accepting students from 'certain French-speaking African countries.'
Prime Minister
Mark Carney
, newly in office, is under pressure to reduce immigration. He pledged to limit temporary residents, including foreign students, to under 5% of Canada's population by 2027, down from 7%, to ease pressure on housing and social services.
'There would be ill effects on people, their families, and their employers,' said Ottawa-based lawyer Warren Creates. 'Have refugees created [the housing crisis]? No. Have they exacerbated it a bit? Probably.'
Ottawa has already slashed study permits by 40%, tightened work rights for students and spouses, and promised to crack down on 'overheated' immigration and questionable schools.
Meanwhile, students wait. The Immigration and Refugee Board faces a backlog of 281,000, but the effects will take time to show, officials admit. cases. Each student must prove they face a 'well-founded fear of persecution' back home.
Why an increase in the number of students in Canada?
Canada became a top destination for international students due to its quality education, affordable tuition, and welcoming immigration policies.
Students from countries facing conflict or limited opportunities were especially drawn to the promise of safety, work opportunities, and a future in Canada.
However, the rapid rise in student numbers overwhelmed the system. Some colleges, especially private ones, recruited aggressively without offering strong academic or career support.
Many students ended up in precarious situations, with few options to stay legally.
As housing and public services came under pressure, the government responded by cutting study permits and tightening rules. Now, more students are turning to asylum as a last resort.
Immigration Policy under Prime Minister Mark Carney
Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, is ushering in a major shift in immigration policy, aimed at balancing compassion with sustainability.
'Immigration caps will remain in place until we've expanded housing, and we've reabsorbed the levels of immigration that have happened in our country during the pandemic,' Carney stated, highlighting a new era of caution.
Under this plan, permanent resident admissions will be kept below 1% of Canada's population annually beyond 2027.
At the same time, temporary residents, including international students and foreign workers, will be reduced to under 5% of the total population by the end of 2027, through tighter visa issuance, transitions to permanent residency, or natural permit expirations.
The policy also focuses on easing pressure on public services, increasing francophone immigration outside Quebec, modernizing visa processing, and enhancing border enforcement.
As Canada tightens its immigration system under Prime Minister Mark Carney, international students are increasingly caught in limbo. With traditional pathways narrowing, many are left turning to asylum, not by choice, but by necessity.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Teen gang-raped by 2 while returning home from b'day party; both held
Teen gang-raped by 2 while returning home from b'day party; both held

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Teen gang-raped by 2 while returning home from b'day party; both held

Kendrapada: An 18-year-old dalit girl was gang-raped by two men in Jagatsinghpur district while she was returning home after attending a birthday party at her cousin's place on Monday evening. Jagatsinghpur superintendent of police Bhawani Sankar Udgata said one of the accused was arrested from Cuttack on Tuesday morning, while the other, who was on the run, was arrested at night from a hideout in the district. Both are from the same village. While the one arrested from Cuttack is 23 years old, the other is 22. Police said the girl was reportedly waylaid by the duo, who dragged her to a secluded field and allegedly raped her multiple times. They also threatened to kill her if she disclosed the assault. "Primary medical reports have confirmed rape and serious injuries to her private parts," Udgata said. The girl is undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital and her condition is said to be serious. "She passed her HSC exam two years back but couldn't go to college due to financial issues. Two miscreants have ruined her life," said the girl's father (56), a daily wager. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo She is one of three daughters. A case has been registered under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including gang-rape. Police have formed three special teams to investigate the case. The incident has triggered a political outcry, with opposition parties accusing the BJP govt of failing to ensure women's safety. Bhubaneswar mayor Sulochana Das, who led a BJD delegation to meet the survivor, said, "Women and girls are not feeling safe due to the govt's slipshod attitude." BJP MLA Amarendra Das defended the govt, stating that police are "leaving no stone unturned" in their investigation.

Cong, BJP spar as posters come up of arrested NSUI state chief with Rahul
Cong, BJP spar as posters come up of arrested NSUI state chief with Rahul

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Cong, BJP spar as posters come up of arrested NSUI state chief with Rahul

Bhubaneswar: A day after National Students' Union of India's state president Udit Narayan Pradhan was arrested on charges of raping a 19-year-old student in the city, posters have surfaced throughout Bhubaneswar displaying images of the suspended Congress member alongside Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi. The giant posters have come up at prominent places including Janpath, sparking heated exchanges between the Congress and BJP . State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das accused the BJP of having orchestrated this poster campaign to defame the party. "We are certain about BJP's involvement in this negative poster campaign against the Congress. This indicates BJP's apprehension towards Congress, which has strengthened its protests regarding the reported rise in crimes against women," Das said. "BJP cannot stifle our voice. Women safety is our biggest focus. Our protest will be intensified in the coming days," he added even as another Congress member criticised the BMC for not pulling down such unauthorised posters. The Congress formed a six-member committee on Monday to investigate the allegations against Pradhan. The party indicated it would support strict action if the charges were proven true. Responding strongly to the allegations, BJP MLA Babu Singh said, "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo The arrest of Udit Pradhan has exposed the double standard of Congress on issues of women's safety." Avilash Panda, state president of BJP's youth wing, criticised Congress for appointing Pradhan as NSUI Odisha president. "Days before his appointment (Aug 2024), he was arrested in a criminal case in Bhubaneswar. Still, the Congress made him the NSUI state president," Panda said. Amid the BJP-Congress confrontation over Pradhan's arrest, BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik expressed concern over an alleged increase in crimes against women. "A disturbing wave of crimes against women is gripping Odisha. This surge in sexual assaults reflects a troubling erosion of law enforcement. When various ranks of the police face interference and political pressure, accountability weakens — and women and girls pay the price first," Naveen wrote in a social media post.

Akal Takht jathedar to Chief Khalsa Diwan members: Turn Amritdhari or face ouster
Akal Takht jathedar to Chief Khalsa Diwan members: Turn Amritdhari or face ouster

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Akal Takht jathedar to Chief Khalsa Diwan members: Turn Amritdhari or face ouster

Amritsar: The officiating jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, on Tuesday directed the members of the Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) — one of the oldest existing Sikh organisations — to become Amritdhari (initiated Sikhs) by Sept 1, failing which their membership will be terminated. Speaking to the media after a meeting with CKD's executive members, whom he summoned over complaints against them, the jathedar gave all members 41 days to undergo the Sikh initiation ceremony (Amrit Sanchar) and comply with maryada (Sikh code of religious conduct). "All members of CKD must be Amritdhari by Sept 1. Any member who is not initiated or who has deviated from Sikh discipline must rectify this within the stipulated period. Practices such as dyeing or curling the beard violate Sikh principles and are not acceptable," he said He emphasised that failure to comply will result in termination of CKD membership. To support this process, the Akal Takht will send Panj Piaras (the five beloved ones) to guide and conduct the Amrit Sanchar for those willing to take initiation, he added. Reaffirming that no act contrary to Gurmat (Guru's wisdom) or the Rehat Maryada will be tolerated, the jathedar said the constitutional requirement for CKD members to be Amritdhari was non-negotiable and cannot be amended under any circumstance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dolly Parton, 79, Takes off Her Makeup and Leaves Us Without Words The Noodle Box Undo Among those who appeared before the jathedar were CKD president Inderbir Singh Nijjar, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and former minister, along with 20 executive members of CKD. Gargaj said members who were absent from Tuesday's meeting must present themselves at the Akal Takht secretariat on Aug 1 to submit their explanation. Officially established in 2019, CKD is a year older than the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store