Staying Safe from Immigration Scams in Canada: Protecting Indian Students

The Canadian government won't send back Indian students who were tricked by fake immigration schemes. They promise to give them special permits. An investigation team has been formed to look into each case.

The Canadian government decided not to send back Indian students who were cheated with fake university acceptance letters. It happened after more than 700 Indian students protested because they feared being deported. Most of these students come from Punjab. They say they got into Canadian universities and colleges with fake offer letters. They blame travel agents in India for making this happen.

Canada says Indian students won't be deported

The Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, said on Thursday that he knows these students are having a hard time. He also said a team has been created to check each case and help the students carefully.

He stated, "I know this is a tough situation for those who were tricked, and I want to ensure they are okay."

He added, "I want to clarify that students who didn't use fake documents won't be sent back. If a student came to Canada to study honestly and didn't know about the fake documents, we will give them a special permit."

"This way, these honest students can stay in Canada and won't be banned from returning for 5 years, which usually happens when there's fraud."

He also said strict action would be taken against the people who are using Canada's immigration system in the wrong way.

"The Canadian government is focused on finding the people behind the fake schemes, not punishing the ones who got tricked."

How to avoid falling for scams?

Fraser also gave some advice for students to avoid getting cheated.

"All students must do some research and have an acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) before applying for a study permit. They should also check the official website for program information. If you think a consultant fooled you, please report it."

He also mentioned, "We value the great contributions that international students make to our country. We are committed to ensuring that coming to Canada is honest and transparent."