Kelly Sundberg, a criminologist and former Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer, has called for better tracking of foreign nationals entering Canada on student visas, following allegations of human trafficking involving Canadian colleges.
India’s Enforcement Directorate recently uncovered evidence suggesting international students were being admitted to Canadian colleges to secure student visas but intended to cross illegally into the U.S. without studying in Canada. These allegations come after the deaths of Jagdish and Vaishali Patel and their two children near the Manitoba-Minnesota border in January 2022, an incident tied to human smuggling networks.
The RCMP has reached out to Indian authorities for further details, while Canadian institutions and officials await more information. The allegations have not yet been proven in court, and no specific Canadian colleges have been named.
Sundberg criticized Canada’s “honour-based” immigration system, emphasizing the need for robust departure tracking for temporary residents, including international students.
“The government needs to enforce the laws it has, collect biometrics like photos and fingerprints, and confirm departures,” Sundberg said. He added that most reputable post-secondary institutions are unlikely to be involved, suggesting that fraudulent operations may stem from private, lesser-known colleges often located in strip malls.
These schools, previously referred to by Immigration Minister Marc Miller as the “diploma equivalent of puppy mills,” have been a focus of Canada’s student visa reforms.
The allegations come as Canada is implementing significant immigration changes, including reducing the number of student visas issued. At a recent immigration committee meeting, the Conservatives questioned how Canada tracks international student departures. Minister Miller acknowledged room for improvement, despite the majority of temporary visa holders leaving after their visas expire.
The issue of illegal crossings has further strained Canada-U.S. relations. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened steep tariffs on Canadian goods if Canada fails to curb illegal border crossings and drug trafficking into the U.S.
As Canada addresses these challenges, the allegations underscore the urgent need for systemic reform to uphold immigration integrity while protecting vulnerable individuals.