Canada Government has unveiled revisions to its international student intake procedures following the discovery of several cases involving the use of counterfeit documents earlier this year.
The Canadian Government has unveiled reforms in its international student intake process after earlier this year, it was revealed that several students, primarily from India, had employed fraudulent documents to secure admission to the country.
During an event in Brampton within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, unveiled a set of initiatives aimed at enhancing Canada‘s International Student Program and enhancing the protection of legitimate students from fraudulent activities.
The primary change is that, in contrast to the previous practice, post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) will now have the responsibility to directly verify each applicant’s letter of acceptance with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This new and improved verification process is designed to prevent letter-of-acceptance fraud, mitigating issues some students encountered earlier this year due to fraudulent activities. Additionally, it will ensure that study permits are granted exclusively based on legitimate letters of acceptance. The implementation of this system is scheduled to commence on December 1.
Furthermore, commencing from the fall semester of 2024, IRCC will introduce a “recognized institution” framework that will favor post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) meeting elevated criteria in terms of services, support, and outcomes for international students. These DLIs, for instance, will enjoy priority processing of study permits for prospective students planning to enroll in their institutions, as stated in the announcement.
“With these measures, we are actively countering unscrupulous individuals who have exploited genuine students for financial gains by promptly identifying any fraudulent letter of acceptance upon submission,” IRCC stated.
“International students are a pool of talent, brilliance, and deserve a positive educational experience in Canada. We remain committed to enhancing Canada’s International Student Program by safeguarding students and removing those who seek to exploit them,” expressed Miller.
The statement also mentioned the establishment of an IRCC task force, collaborating with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to assess the situations of students and graduates impacted by counterfeit documents. The primary objective of this review was to shield legitimate students from potential deportation. As of October 12, out of the 103 cases reviewed, 63 were confirmed as genuine students, while 40 were found not to be.
Earlier this year, several former students, primarily from Punjab, India, faced the risk of deportation from Canada as their entry documents were discovered to be counterfeit. These students arrived in Canada between 2017 and 2020, with some arriving in 2020. Starting in 2021 and continuing into the previous year, they began receiving notifications from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for a hearing. The agency had determined that the letters of offer of admission to Canadian higher education institutions, which formed the basis of their study permits, were fraudulent. Agents in India had utilized deceptive documentation to obtain study permits for them, and they began receiving notices from immigration authorities once these irregularities were detected late last year. While a significant number of affected students were represented by agent Brijesh Mishra of the Jalandhar-based counseling firm EMSA Education and Migration Services Australia, others were also involved.
Mishra, who was located in Canada, was apprehended and faced charges by authorities in June of this year. He is currently being held in a detention facility in Vancouver.
