LIBERAL GOVERNMENT’S IMMIGRATION CAP WON’T FIX THE SYSTEM

A recent examination by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that Canada had far and away the highest “stay rate” of any of its 38 member countries. For instance, at least 40% of foreign students remain in Canada once their visas expire. And because the Liberal government makes almost no real effort to ensure anyone departs, the percentage of “remainers” is probably closer to 70% or 80%.

Given that 767,000 student visas will expire by the end of next year, that means somewhere between 307,000 and 614,000 will stay after their studies end. Ottawa not only lacks the will to clamp down, it lacks the means, too.

And that’s just student visas that will expire in the next 14 months. This has been going on for more than five years, so you can imagine the extent of the full problem.

Foreign student admissions have become a parallel immigration system. As I just mentioned, on top of the more than 450,000 conventional immigrants the Liberals permit yearly, they have been allowing entry by 700,000 to 800,000 foreign students a year.

In addition to carrying light study loads, those students have been eligible to work up to 40 hours a week (now reduced to 24). They can stay and work for 18 months after their studies are completed, too. Many have stayed five years beyond graduation because of extensions granted by the Liberals.

And that’s just holders of student visas. In addition, in the next year 258,000 visitors, 830,000 temporary workers, 1.4 million temporary residents and 1.9 million people with eTAs (electronic travel authorizations) will have their visas run out.

This latter group – eTA holders – are the most likely to leave. The eTA system is abused by fraudsters who see a quick and easy way into the country and who know almost no one is ever removed. By and large, though, eTAs – which make up nearly 40% of the total – are legitimately tourists who will almost all go home when their time taking pics at Lake Louise and riding up the CN Tower comes to an end.

That’s just from a 14-month period.

Given that there are 30,000 people in the country whom courts have ordered deported, and whom the Canada Border Security Agency lacks to resources to expel, what do you think the chances are anyone on an expiring visitor visa is going to be tossed out if they don’t choose to go on the honour system?

Canadians have new Conservative MP Don Stewart to thank for these disclosures. Stewart won an unexpected by-election victory in the Liberal stronghold of Toronto-St. Paul’s in June. Today’s numbers are the result of his direct questions to the Immigration department.