International students will have the chance to provide evidence to the authorities to avoid being deported, according to Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. This comes months after the Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA) ordered the deportation of over 700 Indian students whose admission offer letters to educational institutions were found to be fake.
The Minister tweeted that Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was carefully investigating recent reports of fake acceptance letters. To be clear, we don’t want to punish victims; our goal is to find the offenders. Fraud victims will have the chance to explain their circumstances and provide proof to back up their claims, according to the tweet.
“We recognize the immense contributions international students bring to our country and remain committed to supporting victims of fraud as we evaluate each case,” it further added.
In a letter to Fraser, Jenny Kwan, a Vancouver East MLA and NDP critic for housing, immigration, refugees, and citizenship, brought up the subject of deporting Indian students.
She said, “These students find themselves in a devastating situation through no fault of their own, as they were unknowingly provided unauthentic admission letters. According to reports, the students applied for visas through a consulting company that has since closed. The issue only came to light when the students applied for permanent residency.”
