Canada, a country that has long been a top choice for international students due to its top-notch educational institutions, welcoming environment, and chances for employment after graduation, has recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Many Indian students have fallen victim to scam involving student visas and phoney university letters.
In order to address the issues surrounding the International Student Programme, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister Marc Miller introduced a number of important safeguards.
“International students are gifted, intelligent, and worthy of a satisfying academic experience in Canada. Canada’s programme for international students will be further enhanced by safeguarding students and removing those who attempt to exploit them. We want a foreign student’s time in Canada to have contributed to their goals and development, regardless of whether they return home or continue working after graduation, Miller said in a statement.
The requirement for post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) to confirm each applicant’s acceptance letter with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will take effect on December 1, 2023. This improved verification procedure will protect prospective students from phoney acceptance letters, averting situations similar to those that were discovered earlier this year as a result of fraud investigations. It seeks to guarantee that only legitimate reasons will be used to issue study permits.
The IRCC will perform a thorough evaluation of the requirements for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Programme in the upcoming months. Changes resulting from this assessment will better match the program’s aims with the needs of the Francophone and regional immigrant markets in Canada and the labour market.
The recently implemented safeguards are intended to counteract dishonest persons who take advantage of legitimate students for financial benefit by promptly detecting forged acceptance letters. Institutions that show a strong commitment to supporting international students will also be recognised, which will expedite the processing of their applications. Canada may now choose and keep students who most closely match its immigration and economic objectives thanks to these measures.
An IRCC team worked with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in June to examine cases involving impacted graduates and students in response to inquiries regarding fake admission letters. This collaboration’s main goal was to shield legitimate students from the possibility of deportation.
By October 12, 2023, 103 cases had been reviewed by the taskforce. Of these, 40 were found not to be actual students, and 63 were. Other cases that are for review are known to the Genuine Students Affected by Fraud Taskforce because those involved are still awaiting rulings from the Immigration and Refugee Board. The taskforce is still ready to evaluate these instances in the future, should exclusion orders be granted in them.
The CBSA declared on June 23, 2023, that Brijesh Mishra would face charges for offences linked to immigration. Victims revealed that Mr. Mishra was a key player in the scam that deceived pupils. In order to make sure that those who take advantage of sincere students face the proper legal repercussions, the IRCC and CBSA continue their close collaboration.