Consultants warn: Enhance in worldwide scholar asylum claims misuse of research permits

Asylum functions from worldwide college students have risen practically 650 p.c previously 5 years, figures compiled by The Globe and Mail present, as specialists warn the research allow system is being abused as a technique to enter and stay in Canada.

The sharp improve is especially acute at universities, the place claims have been made at some faculties Since 2018, the quantity has elevated by greater than 2,000 p.c. Nevertheless, college students at giant universities are likely to report fewer claims than at universities, because the figures present.

The rise in asylum functions coincides with a pointy rise within the variety of worldwide college students arriving right here over the previous 5 years. The federal government has now taken steps to scale back them, partly to ease strain on housing.

In January, Immigration Minister Marc Miller imposed a two-year cap on worldwide research allow functions to curb the speedy improve in international college students coming into Canada.

Figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada obtained by The Globe present there have been 1,515 asylum claims amongst worldwide college students in 2018, with the quantity growing to 11,305 in 2023.

The IRCC knowledge on asylum functions at particular person schools and universities has not been revealed.

Earl Blaney, a licensed immigration advisor based mostly in London, Ontario, stated it’s simpler for folks from some international locations to enter Canada on a research allow than on a customer visa as a result of they’ve a greater probability of being allowed into the nation in the event that they a visa would have the appropriate qualifications to check right here.

“To use immediately for refugee standing, you should be in Canada. The issue is that there’s exploitation the place a legit research allow framework is used to legitimize entry,” he stated. “Some immigration advisors are encouraging college students to use for asylum with the intention to keep.”

At many universities, the rise in asylum functions is important. At Ontario's Seneca School, which provides programs starting from accounting to civil engineering to vogue, there have been 45 asylum functions in 2018 and 615 in 2023 – a rise of 1,267 per cent.

At Niagara School, the variety of asylum functions elevated from 20 in 2018 to 530 in 2023, a rise of two,550 p.c. At Conestoga School, there have been 25 asylum functions amongst 6,000 research allow holders in 2018. 5 years later, there have been 420 asylum functions among the many 81,335 research allow holders.

There have been 15 asylum functions at Cape Breton College in Nova Scotia in 2018. Final yr the quantity rose to 425 asylum functions. And on the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières there have been solely 20 asylum functions from college students in 2018, in comparison with 305 in 2023.

At universities the numbers are much less pronounced. Based on IRCC figures, for instance, solely 35 worldwide college students at McGill College utilized for asylum final yr, in comparison with 5 in 2018. Fifty-five College of Toronto college students utilized to stay as refugees in Canada, up from 5 years in the past it was ten.

Toronto lawyer Vaibhav Roy stated it’s “frequent data within the authorized group” that college students who wouldn’t have the required factors for everlasting residency – amid sturdy competitors for Categorical Entry – have utilized for asylum. to remain in Canada.

Empty desks, worldwide college students and the seek for Canadian work permits

“Many immigration legal professionals inform them to file a refugee declare to remain within the nation,” he stated. “It’s a last technique to remain right here.”

Richard Kurland, an immigration legal professional, stated many worldwide college students have been promised by advisers working overseas that a research allow can be a path to everlasting residency, which isn’t at all times the case.

“The place does this lead for them? “Return dwelling poor and embarrassed or apply for refugee standing, which is able to give them one other three to 4 years,” he stated, including that they may then qualify for a piece allow.

Syed Hussan, Managing Director of Migrant EmployeeS Alliance for Change stated many worldwide college students sought asylum right here as a result of the scenario of their dwelling international locations had modified.

He stated some from Haiti learning in Quebec had sought asylum as civil order had collapsed within the Caribbean nation ravaged by gang violence, and that many asylum claims had come from Indians who had seen fundamentalists rule ethnic teams have been focused.

Beneath the two-year cap launched in January, IRCC awarded a restricted variety of research permits to provinces, which may then award them to post-secondary establishments.

Ontario authorities figures present public schools obtained much more scholar approvals than public universities this yr, whereas non-public schools have been squeezed out.

Ontario awards 35,788 research permits to public universities, together with Toronto and Carleton in Ottawa, and 186,167 to public schools.

Seneca School was allotted 20,388 research permits, in comparison with three,362 for the College of Ottawa this yr. The College of Waterloo was allotted 1,212 research permits, whereas Conestoga School was allotted 19,885.

Queen's College solely has 749 permits, whereas Fanshawe School of Utilized Arts and Know-how has 16,752. The College of Toronto was granted 6,256 research permits and Niagara School 9,516.

Conservative immigration critic Tom Kmiec criticized the federal government for not appearing sooner to take care of rising asylum claims from worldwide college students.

“As an alternative of appearing instantly once they noticed worrying traits in worldwide scholar asylum claims, they tried to disregard the issue for years till it was too late,” he stated.

This month's federal finances consists of $1.1 billion over three years for municipalities and provinces to cowl the rising prices of housing asylum seekers, together with these fleeing war-torn international locations. Complaints adopted, notably from Quebec, that they lack the sources to take care of the sharp improve within the variety of asylum seekers.

Some asylum seekers reside in homeless shelters or on the streets, and plenty of are accommodated in lodge rooms whereas their functions are processed.

The finances additionally consists of $141 million for Ottawa to fund short-term housing for asylum seekers who can’t be housed as a result of locations within the province are full.

Michael Wales, Niagara School's communications director stated he didn't need to speculate on whether or not the decrease variety of faculty permits this yr would result in fewer asylum functions.

“Advising or supporting college students who’re contemplating making use of for asylum is past the scope of our licensed worldwide scholar advisors,” he stated. “Upon request, our counselors would refer the scholar to a group company certified to offer this kind of recommendation or assist.”

Editor's word: An earlier model of this text contained a number of incorrect figures that considerably overstated the rise in asylum functions from worldwide college students. The overall improve over the previous 5 years, initially reported at 1,500 p.c, is 646 p.c. This model has been up to date.