Canadian authorities on Wednesday said that the Indian students, who were trapped in an alleged immigration scam, will not be immediately deported as their “well-being is country’s topmost priority."
Immigration Minister Sean Frasier in a statement said that Canada Border Services Agency has been instructed to investigate these cases and students who genuinely fell victim to the fraud will not face immediate deportation.
I issued a statement regarding the distressing situation faced by international students with fraudulent acceptance letters. Your well-being remains our priority, and we’re taking action to address this issue. https://t.co/ofd3r8IDqG See below for a summary of our measures. pic.twitter.com/E0ILgmRaZL— Sean Fraser (@SeanFraserMP) June 14, 2023
“I understand that this situation is distressing for those affected by unscrupulous actors, and I want to assure them that their well-being is of paramount importance. As a result, I have already struck a task force of my officials and have asked them to work closely with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify the victims of fraud; that is, those students who came to study here in Canada and did exactly that," the statement read.
“I want to make it clear that international students who are not found to be involved in fraud will not face deportation," it added.
The statement comes after several Indian students in Canada facing the prospect of deportation on charges of obtaining visas using fake admission letters reportedly have received “stay orders" from Canadian authorities.
India had repeatedly been urging Canadian authorities to be fair and take a humanitarian approach since the students were allegedly victims of some corrupt agents.
Earlier, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also acknowledged the need for fair treatment of the students.
(With agency inputs)