(Catherine Pope) - Just a few months ago, the experts were predicting another wave of boat people was about to wash up on BC shores. As many as a dozen more ships were expected, but not a single one has arrived. Right around the world, there's been a slowdown in the smuggling of Chinese migrants. One year after the first of the rusting freighters arrived in BC we take stock of what's happened since, and how much it's cost. A year ago the first ship to be caught carrying illegal migrants arrived off the coast of Vancouver Island. Three others quickly followed, carrying a total of 600 Chinese migrants from Fujian Province. Despite increased patrols, no ships have been spotted so far this year, and officials believe others may have been deterred after seeing what awaits them here. Of the 600 who arrived, only 16 have been granted refugee status, while 106 have been sent back to China. Hundreds of others are still here, which has critics saying the process is too slow. Immigration rights' groups say refugee claimants from Fujian province have been subjected to intolerable conditions. Yue Qing Yang, of D.A.R.E. says "the worst thing that happened to them is being jailed and treated like criminals." Rob Johnston of Immigration Enforcement admits the process has been slow, but claims it's necessary to ensure people get their entitlements. But the slow process also means the migrants are more taxing on the system. Detaining each migrant costs about 200 dollars per day. Immigration costs now total more than 36 million dollars and RCMP costs total more than 3 million dollars. And there are still 256 migrants in detention. More than 100 of those migrants have now exhausted all their appeals to stay in Canada and immigration officials say they will soon be deported.