The Canadian government is conducting an investigation into the matter of fraudulent acceptance letters that were used to enter the country. This came into effect when hundreds of students were waiting to hear whether they would be deported or not.
Sean Fraser, the immigration minister of Canada, took to Twitter to reveal that the government is actively investigating reports of fraudulent acceptance letters. The main agenda of the government will be “identifying culprits, not penalising victims”. He further added, “We recognise the immense contributions international students bring to our country and remain committed to supporting victims of fraud as we evaluate each case.”
The government is working closely with the institutions to identify and verify acceptance letters. Karamjeet Kaur is one of the hundreds of students under investigation; her acceptance letter was found to be fake. In the entire matter, students hold the view that they were unaware of the fraudulent acceptance letter.
Kaur was debarred from the country on May 29 after the immigration and refugee board stated that she entered the country illegally. Though the order for her deportation has been put on hold. Since Sunday, students and community members have staged an ongoing occupation in front of the Canada Border Services Agency in Mississauga. Even some have launched a petition demanding an end to deportations.
Rho stated that Fraser’s promise to allow students to present their cases may not be enough. She highlighted that many of the students have already presented evidence and had their hearings. Even though the demand for verification is so excessive that the existing rules punish migrants.
Angrez Angurana, RCIC immigration consultant and CEO of Visa Plus, said that the promise of Fraser is encouraging. However, he is unsure whether this measure will be effective alone or not. He further mentioned that raising awareness will play a major role.