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

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
2 minutes ago
- First Post
US slams France's criminal investigation into Elon Musk's X amid foreign interference concerns
Paris cybercrime prosecutors called for the police probe July 11 to investigate suspected crimes – including manipulating and extracting data from automated systems 'as part of a criminal gang.' read more An illustration photograph taken on February 20, 2025 shows the X account of Elon Musk displayed on a phone screen next to the X logo displayed on a laptop screen, in a residential property in Guildford, south of London. AFP US officials issued a harsh condemnation Friday of France's criminal investigation into the social network X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, on suspicion of foreign interference. 'As part of a criminal investigation, an activist French prosecutor is requesting information on X's proprietary algorithm and has classified X as an 'organized crime group,'' the US State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor wrote on their X account. 'Democratic governments should allow all voices to be heard, not silence speech they dislike. The United States will defend the free speech of all Americans against acts of foreign censorship.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Paris cybercrime prosecutors called for the police probe July 11 to investigate suspected crimes – including manipulating and extracting data from automated systems 'as part of a criminal gang.' The social media company last week denied the allegations, calling them 'politically motivated.' X also said it had refused to comply with the prosecutor's request to access its recommendation algorithm and real-time data. The investigation follows two January complaints that alleged the X algorithm had been used for foreign interference in French politics. One of the complaints came from Eric Bothorel, an MP from President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party, who complained of 'reduced diversity of voices and options' and Musk's 'personal interventions' in the platform's management since he took it over. X said it 'categorically denies' all allegations and that the probe 'is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech.' Tesla and SpaceX chief Musk has raised hackles with his forays into European politics, including vocal backing for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of February legislative elections. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Democracy is too fragile to let digital platform owners tell us what to think, who to vote for or even who to hate,' Bothorel said after the investigation was announced.


Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
Pakistan urges global social media platforms to block accounts run by banned militant groups
Pakistan on Friday urged global social media companies to take action to block hundreds of accounts allegedly run by outlawed militant groups that Islamabad claims spread propaganda and glorify insurgents in the South Asian country. According to Pakistan's Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry , groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army - banned by the Pakistani authorities and also designated as terrorist groups by the United States - have been using X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram to promote violence in Pakistan. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence PGDM Digital Marketing Technology Data Analytics Degree CXO MCA Healthcare Management Public Policy Operations Management Design Thinking Leadership Finance Cybersecurity Data Science Others others MBA healthcare Product Management Project Management Data Science Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details Chaudhry, who spoke to reporters at a news conference, urged the tech companies to remove or disable these accounts, as well as those run by supporters of the militant groups. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo Deputy Law Minister Aqeel Malik , who also spoke at the news conference, said Pakistani investigators have identified 481 accounts associated with the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, and the Balochistan Liberation Army, or BLA. The accounts were being used to incite violence and spread hate speech, Malik said. Live Events There was no immediate response from any of the social media platforms to Pakistan's request. Pakistan itself has in recent years blocked access to X, primarily to curb criticism from supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan but also voices of other dissenters. The plea comes amid a surge in violence across Pakistan, much of it blamed on the two militant groups, as well as the Islamic State group. The Pakistani Taliban are allies but a separate militant group from the Afghan Taliban. However, the Taliban takeover of neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021 has emboldened the TTP. Militant groups also heavily rely on social media platforms to claim responsibility for attacks against security forces and civilians in Pakistan.

Hindustan Times
36 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Trump calls on Israel to ‘finish the job', blames Hamas for limbo in Gaza ceasefire talks
US President Donald Trump on Friday blamed Hamas for the breakdown of Gaza ceasefire talks, signalling support for Israel to escalate its military campaign, CNN reported. Trump's administration pulled back its negotiators from talks in Doha, citing concerns that Hamas was not "coordinated" or "acting in good faith."(REUTERS) "I think they want to die, and it's very, very bad," Trump said of Hamas while speaking to reporters before departing for a weekend trip to Scotland. "It got to be to a point where you're gonna have to finish the job." The comments marked a clear shift from just weeks ago when Trump appeared confident a deal was close that would end the conflict, release remaining hostages, and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, CNN noted. This week, Trump's administration pulled back its negotiators from talks in Doha, citing concerns that Hamas was not "coordinated" or "acting in good faith." Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, said he was exploring "alternative options" to secure the release of hostages. Trump, asked about his recent interactions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said only that they were "sort of disappointing." He added, "They're gonna have to fight and they're gonna have to clean it up. You're gonna have to get rid of 'em." While Trump placed blame squarely on Hamas, officials in Egypt and Qatar described the current pause in talks as "normal in the context of these complex negotiations." A senior Israeli official also said the talks had "not at all" collapsed. Trump claimed Hamas had little incentive to negotiate, noting the dwindling number of hostages still held. "Now we're down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages, and basically, because of that, they really didn't want to make a deal," Trump said. US officials said the administration hopes Trump's firm rhetoric and Witkoff's withdrawal will pressure Hamas to return to the table, according to CNN. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said, "We've tried. The world has watched this. What the options are -- clearly there are many tools in President Trump's tool chest, many options that Special Envoy Witkoff has." Also Read | US rejects France's move to recognise Palestine, Rubio says 'reckless decision' At the White House, Trump also responded to criticism over US aid, saying, "People don't know this, and we didn't certainly get any acknowledgement or thank you, but we contributed $60 million to food and supplies and everything else. We hope the money gets there, because you know, that money gets taken. The food gets taken. We're going to do more, but we gave a lot of money." An internal US review has found no evidence of widespread theft of US-funded aid by Hamas in Gaza, CNN said. Trump is scheduled to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland over the weekend. On Friday, Starmer called Israel's military escalation in Gaza "indefensible." French President Emmanuel Macron also drew global attention by announcing France would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Trump dismissed the move, telling reporters, "The statement doesn't carry any weight. He's a very good guy. I like him. But that statement doesn't carry weight."