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CIMM – LANG 63.5 — International Student Refusal Rates by Province – October 24, 2023

IRCC's response to a request for information made by the Standing Committee on Official Languages on June 9, 2023

Question

Mr. Mario Beaulieu: I told you about a Radio-Canada article that mentions a study by the Institut du Quebec. According to this study, the refusal rate in Quebec is higher than in other provinces, such as Ontario or British Columbia. But you're telling us this isn't true. Can you send the committee some figures on this?

Mr. Olivier Jacques: Yes, we could send you some figures. However, we'd have to agree on the wording of exactly what you want. Of course, we'd be happy to provide you with statistics to that effect.

Response

Please see Annex A.

All applications from anywhere in the world are fairly assessed against the same criteria. Anyone can apply to come to Canada as a temporary or permanent resident, provided they meet the required qualifications. Regardless of first language for all foreign students, the onus is on the applicant to meet the requirements to study in Canada and demonstrate that they are a bona fide temporary resident who will leave Canada upon completion of their studies, in accordance with the section R216(1)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. They have the opportunity to present their case by providing documentary evidence and any other relevant information to support their application.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada maintains quality assurance measures to ensure consistency in decision-making on all applications. In addition, the Department continues to analyze data, refine criteria and develop tools to improve decision-making and ensure that genuine eligible students will be able to study in Canada.

Reasons for study permit application refusals relate to a variety of factors such as the ability of the applicant to support themselves in Canada, the bona fides of an applicant's individual circumstances (e.g. a logical study plan for their circumstances, building on existing education, previous immigration violations, etc.) and other admissibility and eligibility factors.

(Excluding Extensions) Received between January 1, 2019 and May 31, 2023 Globally, by Province/Territory of Destination

Province/Territory of Destination 2019 2020 2021 2022 January - May 2023 Total
Alberta 18,516 12,439 22,609 31,991 19,804 105,359
British Columbia 73,230 51,656 99,917 116,805 58,179 399,787
Manitoba 11,254 9,055 15,216 18,256 10,062 63,843
New Brunswick 8,106 5,017 11,125 14,231 8,495 46,974
Newfoundland 3,289 2,230 4,490 4,521 2,104 16,634
Nova Scotia 11,573 7,224 13,965 23,743 11,105 67,610
Northwest Territories 53 18 48 51 39 209
Nunavut 26 5 7 13 2 53
Ontario 200,654 143,852 282,908 383,360 185,653 1,196,427
Prince Edward Island 2,747 1,520 2,457 2,959 1,515 11,198
Quebec 80,681 73,878 86,099 95,886 50,293 386,837
Saskatchewan 10,564 5,880 9,737 13,477 7,194 46,852
Unspecified 4,837 3,507 8,015 9,363 4,716 30,438
Yukon 200 119 181 222 126 848
Total 425,730 316,400 556,774 714,878 359,287 2,373,069

Data compiled by OPP-DART-2023-22680
Source: Cognos (CBR) as of September 6, 2023
Data is operational and subject to change.

2019 2020
Approved Refused Withdrawn Approval RateFootnote * Refusal Rate Total Approved Refused Withdrawn Approval RateFootnote * Refusal Rate Total
11,295 7,182 58 61% 39% 18,535 4,918 3,507 130 58% 42% 8,555
49,839 23,213 217 68% 32% 73,269 23,030 13,655 582 63% 37% 37,267
6,203 5,003 36 55% 45% 11,242 2,942 3,290 73 47% 53% 6,305
3,356 4,833 28 41% 59% 8,217 1,337 2,765 46 33% 67% 4,148
1,754 1,530 13 53% 47% 3,297 658 1,067 17 38% 62% 1,742
6,865 4,863 28 59% 41% 11,756 2,530 2,412 118 51% 49% 5,060
15 38 0 28% 72% 53 2 14 0 13% 88% 16
4 34 0 11% 89% 38 1 2 0 33% 67% 3
123,926 75,470 543 62% 38% 199,939 48,152 44,131 1,017 52% 48% 93,300
1,383 1,368 7 50% 50% 2,758 547 690 16 44% 56% 1,253
39,662 39,384 212 50% 50% 79,258 22,320 32,886 371 40% 60% 55,577
4,201 6,366 25 40% 60% 10,592 1,443 2,858 55 34% 66% 4,356
4,356 326 2 93% 7% 4,684 2,481 42 26 98% 2% 2,549
122 76 0 62% 38% 198 39 35 0 53% 47% 74
252,981 169,686 1,169 60% 40% 423,836 110,400 107,354 2,451 51% 49% 220,205

Data compiled by OPP-DART-2023-22680
Source: Cognos (CBR) as of September 6, 2023
Data is operational and subject to change.

2021 2022
Approved Refused Withdrawn Approval RateFootnote * Refusal Rate Total Approved Refused Withdrawn Approval RateFootnote * Refusal Rate Total
15,406 7,084 221 69% 31% 22,711 20,919 11,031 376 65% 35% 32,326
65,560 30,226 904 68% 32% 96,690 77,927 44,851 1,128 63% 37% 123,906
8,146 6,839 167 54% 46% 15,152 9,074 9,111 161 50% 50% 18,346
4,970 5,760 72 46% 54% 10,802 6,493 6,883 169 49% 51% 13,545
2,386 1,860 43 56% 44% 4,289 2,783 1,964 52 59% 41% 4,799
7,714 5,425 159 59% 41% 13,298 11,094 12,050 219 48% 52% 23,363
16 25 1 39% 61% 42 23 34 0 40% 60% 57
6 3 0 67% 33% 9 1 7 0 13% 88% 8
169,869 105,616 2,116 62% 38% 277,601 225,331 174,547 2,995 56% 44% 402,873
1,336 1,078 21 55% 45% 2,435 1,639 1,324 28 55% 45% 2,991
40,852 51,865 2,454 44% 56% 95,171 42,067 48,211 813 47% 53% 91,091
4,435 4,575 63 49% 51% 9,073 6,405 7,347 107 47% 53% 13,859
7,417 221 26 97% 3% 7,664 8,481 540 38 94% 6% 9,059
126 75 4 63% 37% 205 127 64 1 66% 34% 192
328,239 220,652 6,251 60% 40% 555,142 412,364 317,964 6,087 56% 44% 736,415
2023 January - May
Approved Refused Withdrawn Approval RateFootnote * Refusal Rate Total Total
10,665 5,906 105 64% 36% 16,676 98,803
35,312 16,941 377 68% 32% 52,630 383,762
5,202 5,107 58 50% 50% 10,367 61,412
3,274 3,834 38 46% 54% 7,146 43,858
847 790 21 52% 48% 1,658 15,785
5,337 6,105 79 47% 53% 11,521 64,998
16 15 0 52% 48% 31 199
2 6 0 25% 75% 8 66
108,095 68,958 1,077 61% 39% 178,130 1,151,843
706 538 8 57% 43% 1,252 10,689
19,347 28,523 362 40% 60% 48,232 369,329
3,598 3,571 60 50% 50% 7,229 45,109
3,493 330 18 91% 9% 3,841 27,797
85 31 0 73% 27% 116 785
195,979 140,655 2,203 58% 42% 338,837 2,274,435

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