Canada is witnessing an unprecedented spike in asylum claims by international students, according to exclusive Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data obtained by Global News.

Published

4 months ago

May 14, 2025

The data indicates that 2025 is poised to break last year’s record of 20,245 asylum claims by international students in Canada.

As the federal government restricts pathways to permanent residency, experts warn the trend could intensify, putting pressure on housing, healthcare, and public services.A Record-Breaking Surge in Asylum Claims

In 2024, asylum claims by international students nearly doubled from 2023 and were six times higher than in 2019.

The first quarter of 2025 alone saw 5,500 claims—a 22% jump from the same period last year.
Immigration lawyers attribute this surge to stricter immigration policies, which have limited options for students seeking permanent residency.

“The government has shut down many regular pathways to permanent residence,” said a Toronto-based immigration lawyer. “This is pushing students toward claiming asylum as a last resort.”Prime Minister Mark Carney, echoing his predecessor Justin Trudeau, has vowed to reduce immigration to “sustainable levels.”

On May 2, 2025, Carney announced plans to cap temporary workers and foreign students at under 5% of the Canadian population by 2027, down from 7%.

“This will ease the strain on housing, infrastructure, and social services,” Carney stated.

To curb the influx, Ottawa slashed study permits by 40% in 2024 to approximately 360,000, restricted work hours for foreign students, and tightened spousal work permit rules.Former Immigration Minister Marc Miller called the system “overheated,” citing exploitation by “diploma mills” offering low-value credentials.

Why Are Claims Rising?

Despite fewer study permits, asylum claims continue to climb.

An immigration expert explains that many students, after earning diplomas from questionable institutions, find themselves ineligible for work permits or permanent residency.Some students have diplomas that hold little value in the job market. They’re stuck with no clear path forward,” immigration experts say.

The IRCC notes that study permits, often valid for multiple years, mean the full impact of permit cuts may not yet be felt.

“The proportion of permit holders claiming asylum remains small compared to total permits issued,” an IRCC spokesperson said. Colleges with the Highest Asylum Claims

In 2024, the following post-secondary institutions reported the highest claims for asylum from foreign students:

Conestoga College: 720 claims
Seneca College: 650 claims.

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi: 500 claims
Niagara College: 495 claims
Collège Ellis (Trois-Rivières): 475 claims
Affected institutions express frustration over their lack of control. Université du Québec à Chicoutimi selects students based on academic merit, unaware of their intentions to seek asylum.

Niagara College emphasized its willingness to collaborate with the government but noted it receives no notification of claims.

Collège Ellis highlighted a “significant communication gap” with immigration authorities and is considering barring students from certain countries due to the issue.

A Strained Asylum System

The Canadian asylum process requires claimants to prove a credible fear of persecution in their home country.

However, the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) is grappling with a backlog of over 281,000 cases, leading to lengthy delays.

While some question the legitimacy of student claims, immigration experts stress that many are valid.

“Take a student from Ukraine who arrived years ago—circumstances in their home country have drastically changed. Their claim isn’t fraudulent just because they were a student,” an immigration expert said.

Immigration specialists acknowledge the political pressure to reduce immigration.

“There’s a housing crisis and a healthcare crisis. Refugees haven’t caused these, but high immigration levels may worsen them.”

As the country navigates this complex issue, the debate intensifies: how can the country uphold its humanitarian commitments while addressing domestic challenges?
With claims for asylum on track to hit new highs in 2025, the government faces tough choices.

Stay informed on the Canadian immigration policies and their impact. Follow for updates on this developing story.

How many refugee claims are successful in Canada?

As per CBC News, the recognition rate—which is calculated by dividing the number of refugee claims that are approved by the Immigration and Refugee Board by the total number of applications that have been resolved on merit—rose from 64% in 2018 to 82% in the first nine months of 2024.

Which country sends the highest number of foreign students to Canada?

More than 40% of foreign students are from India, followed by 10% from China.

Is it possible for an international student to ask for asylum in Canada?

Yes, an international student can apply to claim asylum if they are able to prove they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country.
Gagandeep Kaur Sekhon
Gagandeep Kaur Sekhon moved to Canada in 2010 on a study visa. She navigated through the ups and downs of her student life and gained her permanent residency in 2015. Today, she is a proud Canadian citizen residing in Calgary, Alberta. She is mother of 2 beautiful daughters and making her difference through writing and guidance at INC – Immigration News Canada.

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Many feared dead in another Sokoto boat accident

Published

4 hours ago

September 19, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

A boat carrying mostly women capsized in Sokoto State on Thursday evening, leaving several passengers feared dead.

The accident happened around 7:30 pm when the boat, said to be fleeing from a bandit attack, hit the edge of a culvert and overturned.

Authorities have launched rescue efforts to save survivors and confirm the number of casualties.

There are no details on the extent of the loss as rescue operations are still ongoing.

Soldier Sentenced To Death By Hanging For Murder Of Keke (Tricycle) Rider

Published

4 hours ago

September 19, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Nigerian Army’s General Court Martial, sitting at Maxwell Khobe Cantonment in Jos, has sentenced Private Lukman Musa to death by hanging after finding him guilty of murdering Mr. Abdulrahman Isa in Azere town, Bauchi State.

The verdict was delivered following a thorough military trial in which evidence presented convinced the court that Musa was responsible for the fatal incident. The court martial, which is the Army’s highest disciplinary body for serious offenses, handed down the capital punishment in line with the provisions of military and Nigerian criminal law.

Details surrounding the motive and circumstances of the crime remain limited, but the judgment underscores the Army’s stated commitment to upholding discipline and ensuring that its personnel are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

This ruling serves as a stern reminder that members of the armed forces are subject to both military and civil laws and will face the ultimate penalty when found guilty of severe offenses such as murder.

Fulani militias, herders responsible for attacks, killings in Plateau – Fact-Finding Committee

Published

10 hours ago

September 19, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

A fact-finding committee set up by Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang to find the immediate and remote causes of the incessant attacks and killings in the state have identified armed Fulani militias and herder groups as responsible for the violence.

Chairman of the committee, Major General Rogers Ibe Nicholas (rtd), while submitting the report to the governor on Thursday, said his committee drew its conclusion after meeting with various ethnic nationalities and interest groups across the state and also visited all the troubled communities to get firsthand information about the violence and how to provide enduring peace in the state.

The high-powered fact-finding committee also revealed that the Fulani militias and herders who carry out the attacks in the state often come in from neighbouring states like Bauchi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Taraba States, and after striking, sneak away, leaving a trail of blood and sorrow.

Gen. Rogers, who spoke when handing over the report to Mutfwang, said the perpetrators of the violent attacks that has left over 12,000 people dead and over 500 communities desolate, said all the communities the committee visited consistently identified armed Fulani militias and herder groups as the key aggressors.

He stated that in some local government areas like Shendam and Quan’pan, local disputes involving boundaries, ethnic rivalries, political competition, and youth militias also contributed to violence.

“The committee received a report of disturbances by bandits who are said to have established their cells in two Nasarawa State villages bordering Quan’pan and forcing Plateau communities in Quan’pan to flee,” Gen. Rogers said.

He noted that in some councils, the committee discovered the presence of bandits’ cells linked to suspected extremist organizations.

“In Wase and Kanam, the presence of bandits’ cells with suspected links to extremist organizations was reported.

“The motives driving these attacks are multiple, ranging from control of land and resources, to territorial expansion, ethno-religious dominance, political destabilization, and outright criminal profiteering through kidnap-for-ransom and cattle rustling,” he said.

The report also traced routes that the bandits take to infiltrate the state, stating that the porous borders which include entry points from Nasarawa through Wamba, Lafia, and Awe also aid in the easy access of the communities by the attackers.

“From Kaduna through Lere, Kaura, and Sanga; from Bauchi through Toro, Tafawa Balewa, Bagoro, and Alkaleri; and from Taraba through Ibi and Karim Lamido. These routes are largely unmonitored and exploited by attackers for quick strikes and retreats,” the report said.

Gov. Mutfwang who received the report at the new Government House, Rayfield, Jos, promised to implement all the recommendations towards achieving lasting peace in the state while reiterating earlier calls to political and religious leaders and political in the state to rise in defence of the Plateau heritage and work toward its overall development.

“Receiving this important report is a journey towards peace and putting into proper perspectives the true nature of the violent attacks that have plagued Plateau in the last two and half decades.

“When I took over and began to tell the story of what was happening on the Plateau, I was called names.

“Therefore, I sat down and told myself that for us to convince the authorities and Nigerians with the truth about the nature of crisis in Plateau, we need men and women of proven integrity who will gather, analyze and bring into the public space what has been happening in the last two and half decades,” the governor emphasized.