Prime Minister Mark Carney has strongly defended his administration's immigration policies in the wake of a highly critical auditor general report that exposed significant deficiencies in Canada's international student program oversight. Speaking to reporters while entering a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Carney declared, "We're taking back control on immigration," pointing to substantial reductions in temporary workers, asylum claims, and foreign student numbers since his government took office.
Auditor General's Damning Findings
The auditor general's report, released earlier this week, revealed alarming gaps in the immigration department's monitoring and enforcement capabilities. During the two-year period from 2023 to 2024, the department only managed to investigate approximately 4,000 cases out of 153,000 international students flagged for potential non-compliance and fraud concerns. Even when investigations did occur, the department took "limited action" beyond requesting additional information from the students involved.
Systemic Failures Uncovered
The audit uncovered multiple systemic failures within the immigration department's operations. Most notably, officials failed to follow up on 800 documented cases where fraudulent documents were used by applicants. The report also found that the department lacked proper mechanisms to monitor which students were scheduled to leave Canada each year and which had actually departed the country, creating significant gaps in immigration enforcement and compliance tracking.
Government Response and Policy Changes
In response to the auditor's findings, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced several corrective measures. Her department plans to centralize investigation procedures and enhance information sharing with the Canada Border Services Agency. Diab emphasized that since 2025, her department has followed up on 100 percent of reported discrepancies, though she noted she was not immigration minister during the audited period when Marc Miller and Sean Fraser held that portfolio.
Political Fallout and Opposition Criticism
The report has sparked significant political controversy, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre calling for the firing of Diab, Miller, and Fraser over their handling of immigration matters. The auditor's findings come at a sensitive time for immigration policy, as Canadian public attitudes toward immigration have reached a thirty-year low according to government tracking surveys, despite record population growth in recent years driven by immigration programs.
Policy Reversals and Future Projections
The Liberal government has implemented several policy reversals beginning in 2024, introducing stricter requirements for work and study visas while establishing an international student cap. According to the government's 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, permanent resident admissions are projected to decrease significantly—from 483,655 in 2024 to 395,000 in 2025, with further reductions to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027. These changes coincide with Canada experiencing its first population decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 0.2 percent decline in the third quarter of 2025.
Public Opinion and Policy Challenges
Public sentiment continues to present challenges for immigration policymakers. The department's 2024 tracking survey revealed that 63 percent of Canadians considered the 2025 target of 395,000 permanent residents too high, while only 28 percent believed the figure was appropriate or insufficient. These findings underscore the complex balancing act facing the government as it attempts to address labor shortages while responding to public concerns about immigration levels and program integrity.
Carney's defense of his government's record highlights the ongoing tension between immigration as an economic necessity and the need for robust oversight mechanisms. As the government implements its new investigation protocols and reduced immigration targets, the effectiveness of these measures in restoring public confidence and program integrity remains to be seen.
