Canada's auditor general will examine the federal international student program following criticism the country was unprepared for a surge in admissions.
Auditor General Karen Hogan's office confirmed Monday it plans to audit the program. A report is expected to be tabled in Parliament in 2026.
"As the audit is in the planning phase, providing information on scope and timelines is premature"
The Globe and Mail first reported the planned review.
International students filed a record 20,245 asylum claims in 2024, nearly double the 2023 figure and six times higher than 2019, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data. Claims rose 22 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Critics blame rapid growth in international student admissions for increased youth unemployment and housing shortages.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said last week "we need more people leaving than coming" into Canada for the next two years. He called for "very hard caps on immigration levels" to let housing, health care and employment "catch up."
Prime Minister Mark Carney instructed cabinet ministers to return "overall immigration rates to sustainable levels" in post-election mandate letters.
The federal government introduced study permit caps last fall. Universities and colleges have responded with layoffs and hiring freezes due to reduced revenue.
The government plans summer consultations on future student intake levels.
