AAP MP says Canada is probing case of 700 immigration fraud victims from Punjab
MP Vikramjit Sahney cites a response from Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on the issue of the over 700 Punjabi students facing deportation.
AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney. (File Photo) The Canadian government is investigating recent reports of an immigration fraud and focuses on identifying the culprits and not penalising the victims, AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney said Monday citing a response from that country’s immigration minister.
MP Sahney told The Indian Express that he got the information from Immigration Minister Sean Fraser after the former raised with him the issue of more than 700 Punjabi students facing deportation from Canada.
“I have demanded a thorough investigation into the case of the issuance of fake college acceptance letters and admission fee receipts by unscrupulous agents, valid visas and immigration clearance for the innocent Punjabi youths facing deportation from Canada,” the MP said.
“Mr Sean Fraser also recognised the immense contribution that international students make and said that his government remains committed to supporting victims of fraud,” he said.
Sahney appealed to the Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA) to temporarily suspend the deportation of Punjabi students until witnesses can testify before the investigating committee.
He said that at stake was the future of the 700-plus Punjabi students who went to Canada after receiving fake admission letters. They had got visas and immigration clearance, studied in Canada and are working there, he said, adding that they could not be deported “as they are innocent and victims of a bigger conspiracy”.
Sahney also said it was very difficult for individual students to fight their cases in Canadian courts and urged the Canadian government to take a sympathetic, collective view of all the students suffering under the unfavourable circumstances.
Sahney, who is also president of the World Punjabi Organisation, had earlier sought the intervention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The organisation had announced free legal help for the students to fight their cases through prominent immigration lawyers in Canada.
More than 700 Indian students are facing deportation from Canada after the authorities in the North American country found their “admission offer letters” to educational institutions to be fake. They received deportation letters from the CBSA in the past few months. Most of these students have already completed their studies as they had gone on study visas in 2018–19.
A Jalandhar-based education and migration firm headed by Brajesh Mishra had sent the students to Canada. After they landed in Canada, Mishra asked them to enrol in some other colleges, not in the colleges whose offer letters were attached with their visa applications. The Jalandhar police have booked Mishra and two others. While one arrest has taken place, Mishra is still at large.
The students took admission in other colleges and completed their studies. When they applied for permanent residency, the CBSA found that none of the students had completed their studies from colleges mentioned along with their visa applications. The students say they are not at fault because they had entered Canada on legal visas.
Share
