Notably, there has been a rise in Khalistan activities in Canada lately.
Reacting to the rise in ‘Khalistani’ activities in Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that Ottawa seems to be driven by “vote-bank politics” and this has also impacted the ties between the two countries lately.
He was speaking at a town hall meeting at the India International Centre, New Delhi in the national capital. Speaking to the reporters, Jaishankar said, “How Canada has dealt with the Khalistani issue is a longstanding issue for us, because very frankly, they seem to be driven by vote bank politics. Their responses have been constrained by what they regard as vote bank compulsions. We made it very clear that if there are activities which are permitted from Canada that impinge on our sovereignty, territorial integrity and our security, then we will have to respond”.
“It is something which is a continuing conversation with Canada, not always satisfactory, but something on which we have been very clear. And over the last few years, you can see that this has impacted our ties in many ways,” he added.
Notably, there has been a rise in Khalistan activities in Canada lately.
Earlier this month, a tableau parade was organised in Ontario celebrating the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi, which drew severe criticism from New Delhi.
In March this year, Khalistan supporters protested outside the Indian Embassy in Canada. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans and allegedly assaulted Indian-origin journalists present on the spot.
Khalistan supporters in March, protested outside the Indian Embassy in Canada. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans and allegedly assaulted Indian-origin journalists present on the spot.
Speaking further, Jaishankar hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States, and added that India is also focussing on concluding the free trade agreements with Europe.
“Today, it is a very polarised world, and the global stage is so much more challenging. Our relations with the United States are exceptionally well. We have had the most productive visit in history,” the EAM said.
EAM Jaishankar speaking at a town hall meeting at the India International Centre.
He added, “We have moved into a positive domain with the US for shaping the world for common purposes. The attention being given to Europe is remarkable. The big issue before us is concluding the free trade agreement, but we are more hopeful than we have been in past”.
The EAM further added that the India-Russia ties have remained steady despite all the turbulence.
“Our relations with Russia have been kept steady despite all turbulence. We have made our own evaluation over the years regarding the importance of this. It is a mistake to dumb down ties with Russia to just defence dependences. We have an upswing in the economic part of our relations with Russia,” he said. (ANI)
Canada invites 4800 candidates for its June 2023 Express Entry draw
The approved applicants under the new decision will receive an open work permit of up to three years in duration…reports Asian Lite News
Canada Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on Tuesday announced that the government will create an open work-permit stream to allow 10,000 American H-1B visa holders to come and work in the country.
In an official release, Canada’s Ministry of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship said the program will also provide for study or work permits for the family members of H-1B visa holders. “Thousands of workers in high-tech fields are employed with companies that have large operations in both Canada and the US, and those working in the US often hold an H-1B speciality occupation visa. As of July 16, 2023, H-1B speciality occupation visa holders in the US, and their accompanying immediate family members, will be eligible to apply to come to Canada,” the release read.
The approved applicants under the new decision will receive an open work permit of up to three years in duration.
“They will be able to work for almost any employer anywhere in Canada. Their spouses and dependants will also be eligible to apply for a temporary resident visa, with a work or study permit, as needed,” said the release.
According to Canada-based, CBC News, Fraser said that by the end of this year, the federal government will be developing an immigration stream for some of the world’s most talented people that will be able to come to Canada to work for tech companies, irrespective of having a job or not.
However, the Immigration minister did not explain exactly who will qualify or how many people will be admitted to the stream.
H-1B visas allow foreign nationals to temporarily work in the US in certain specialized occupations, including the technology sector. Tech companies went on a hiring binge during the pandemic but have since started laying people off in large numbers. That’s left a lot of H-1B visa holders scrambling to find new jobs. (ANI)
Canada invites 4800 candidates for its June 2023 Express Entry draw
India is now the second largest source of foreign students coming to Canada, just behind China…writes Vishal Gulati
If a student came to Canada with a genuine intent to study and without knowledge of the use of fraudulent documentation, they can remain in the country and will be not subjected to the five-year ban from re-entering Canada that normally follows in cases of misrepresentation, the Canadian High Commission said on Monday in response to fears among “victims” of the fake admission acceptance letters by Indian agents.
“For those who are no longer in Canada, their cases will be reviewed on a priority basis. As appropriate, IRCC will seek to contact the individual directly,” a spokesperson for the High Commission of Canada in Delhi told IANS.
Responding to multiple queries related to international students, a majority of them from Punjab, facing deportation after the federal government found the letters of admissions that formed the basis of their entry into Canada were forged, the spokesperson warned the government of Canada “takes any kind of citizenship or immigration fraud seriously”.
“We are dedicated to protecting prospective newcomers from those who try to take advantage of them. We are also committed to upholding the integrity of our immigration programs and protecting our systems against fraud and misrepresentation.
“Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) employees receive training on how to detect and combat fraud, and they work hard to protect the integrity of Canada’s citizenship and immigration system,” the spokesperson told IANS.
When asked about a mechanism to keep tabs on unscrupulous immigration agents, the spokesperson said the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Citizenship Act require that people who provide paid immigration or citizenship advice or representation be authorised.
It is an offence for anyone other than: a member in good standing (lawyer or paralegal) of a Canadian law society; the Chambre des notaires du Quebec; or the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants to represent or advise for a fee at any stage of an application or proceeding.
Indian students paying $4K for one-way fare to land in Canada
“Therefore, if new applicants choose to use these services, it is important to ensure that the person they use is authorised, otherwise there is no guarantee of accurate and quality advice, and there is a risk of fraud and financial loss to the applicant and their family.”
On June 23, Canadian authorities charged Punjab-origin agent, Brijesh Mishra, for issuing fraudulent university letters of acceptance to students and other immigration-related criminal offences.
Mishra is facing five charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said in a statement.
Issuing an advisory to the students to prevent immigration frauds, the High Commission said: “We also offer extensive information on our website regarding how to detect, prevent and report fraud. The IRCC believes that the best way to protect the public from fraud is to inform the public.”
At the same time, it says the IRCC sympathises with victims of immigration fraud and recommends reaching out to the local police force of the city or country they are in, as Canada does not have jurisdiction on fraud or scams committed internationally.
Replying to the query, the spokesperson told IANS there are several ongoing investigations linked to the media reports, involving multiple unauthorized agents located in India.
Would you like to clarify regarding the fear among ‘victims’ of the visa fraud that the immigration record, rendering them ineligible, will hamper their future visa prospects too?
At this, the spokesperson told IANS: “If the facts of an individual case are clear that an international student came to Canada with a genuine intent to study, and without knowledge of the use of fraudulent documentation, the minister (Sean Fraser) has provided instructions for officers to issue a Temporary Resident Permit to that individual.
“This will ensure that these well-intentioned students and graduates can remain in Canada, and ensure that they are not subject to the five-year ban from re-entering Canada that normally follows in cases of misrepresentation.”
India is now the second largest source of foreign students coming to Canada, just behind China.
As per the IRCC, Canada issued study permits to 551,405 international students from 184 countries, in 2022, an increase of 24 per cent on 2021, in what Canadian immigration described as a “record-breaking year” for visa applications.
Out of the total international students, 41 per cent (226,450) are Indian students, a majority from cash-rich Punjab, up from 169,460 the previous year.
Recognising the contribution of international students, especially students from Punjab who have been facing deportation from Canada, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on June 14 halted the deportation of the students by saying the focus is on identifying those who are responsible for the fraudulent activity and not on penalising those who may have been affected by fraud.
Giving reprieve, he announced that the genuine students would be issued a Temporary Resident Permit.
“We recognise the immense contributions that international students make to our country, and we are committed to providing a path to Canada that is honest and transparent,” Fraser said in a statement. Asking the students to be alert and not to become the victims of fraud, he said all applicants must continue to ensure that, before applying for a study permit, they do their research, have an acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institutions (DLI), and refer to the official website to get information about our programmes.
Seeing the craze of students to study in Canada with flexible work opportunities on work permit, hundreds of immigration and admission consultancy firms have opened their offices across Punjab and its capital city Chandigarh.
They are regulated by the government. Still unscrupulous and fly-by-night operators are there.
Also there is the mushrooming of English language coaching institutes even in villages that prepare students for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
After completing Grade 12, students are preparing themselves in coaching institutes to score a band higher than six in a language ability test for admission to undergraduate courses abroad.
Since agents in India do most paperwork for them, these students and their parents know very little about Canadian laws and rules….reports Asian Lite News
With new Indian students increasingly becoming victims of ignorance about Canadian laws, the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) is taking up the matter with the Immigration Minister to address the problem.
Murarilal Thapliyal, president of the oldest Indo-Canadian organization, says: “Rampant ignorance among Indian students about Canadian laws is costing these students and the Indo-Canadian heavily. They (students) are dying in road accidents and drowning in ponds because they don’t know/heed local laws. They are falling victim to depression and some committing suicide because they don’t know whom to turn to it.”
Since agents in India do most paperwork for them, these students and their parents know very little about Canadian laws and rules.
“The Indo-Canada Chamber is urging the immigration minister to add an acknowledgement form to admission forms for students. Indian students coming to Canada and their parents must sign an acknowledgement form, saying that they have read basic Canadian laws and that they know the consequences of their violation,” says Murarilal.
This acknowledgement, he says, should be a precondition for admission to Canadian colleges.
“We want all Canadian colleges to open counters at airports to provide post-landing services to these students. Each student must get a 10-get booklet about Canadian laws and rules — dos and don’ts at public places, consequences of violating traffic rules and not paying rent, emergency numbers in case they feel unsafe/have stress issues, NGO and consulate phone numbers,” says the ICCC president.
“Any student found later found violating this acknowledgement should be shown no leniency and deported,” he says.
A lawyer by profession, Murarilal says he is distressed to see a spurt in the number of cases of Indian students not paying rents and failing to vacate premises.
“This has caused a lot of resentment in our community against these students.”
Al Jaber praised the notable development in bilateral ties between the UAE and Canada and expressed eagerness for accelerated growth…reports Asian Lite News
Mona Ahmed Al Jaber, Chairwoman of the Emirates Defense Council (EDCC), said that the growing ties between the UAE and Canada allow for increased collaboration in the defence, aerospace, and security industries.
Al Jaber made the remarks during a keynote speech she gave at the UAE-Canadian Defence Companies Meeting, held today in Abu Dhabi. The meeting was organised by the EDCC, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Residents Office (ADRO), part of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), and the Canadian Business Council (CBC).
Hosted by the ADRO, the meeting was held in honour of a visiting delegation from various Canadian defence companies.
Present were Rashed Abdul Karim Al Balooshi, Under-Secretary of ADDED; Hareb Mubarak Al Mheiri, Executive Director of ADRO; Radha Krishna Panday, Ambassador of Canada to the UAE, and representatives of Emirati and Canadian companies.
Al Jaber praised the notable development in bilateral ties between the UAE and Canada and expressed eagerness for accelerated growth in collaboration between the two countries’ defence companies.
“The UAE and Canada share a long history of cooperation and friendship, and our bilateral relations have only strengthened over the years,” Al Jaber said.
She continued, “Today, we have a unique opportunity to explore each other’s defence and security capabilities and to exchange ideas to enable greater understanding and collaboration. This meeting serves as a vital platform to achieve all of this – I urge you all to actively engage in fruitful discussions, share your expertise, and build strong networks.”
For his part, Al Mheiri said, “We are proud to collaborate with the Emirates Defence Council and the Canadian Business Council, who will enable us to continue driving our unwavering efforts to develop leading initiatives, services and partnerships that seek to improve the lives of all residents in the emirate, now and in the future.”
“At ADRO, we are committed to ensuring Abu Dhabi is a destination where residents can reimagine and fulfil their potential in a welcoming and inclusive society that is rich in culture and opportunities,” he added.
ADRO is dedicated to attracting and retaining global talent in Abu Dhabi and supports their growth, integration and harmonisation into the emirate’s society. The office is also empowering residents to lead thriving lives in the emirate by offering direct access to information and a diverse range of exclusive services and benefits. These include guides for residents as well as active research and engagement programmes that promote life in the emirate.
Ambassador Panday praised the UAE-Canada strong and growing commercial relationship in the defence sector, expressing his pleasure at participating in this important event with the Emirates Defence Companies Council and Canadian defence firms. “I look forward to many more collaboration opportunities between our industries,” he added.
During the meeting, key officials from Tawazun Council’s Acquisition Management Sector, Tawazun Industrial Park (TIP), and ADRO each gave presentations about their respective organisations.
Several presentations were also given by the chief executive officers and senior executives of Canadian defence companies, including Pal Aerospace, CAE, L3 Harris, Bombardier, NORTAC Military, and 3dEYE.
New Delhi miffed as Trudeau govt fails to rein in anti-India activities.(photo:IN)
L’affaire Trudeau justifies the adage that politicians refuse to look beyond their nose for short-term gains. He has been taking the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP) of Jagmeet ‘Jimmy’ Singh Dhaliwal for his government’s survival … writes Malladi Rama Rao & Atul Cowshish
Clearly, vote bank politics are at play in Canada. Otherwise, the Khalistanis will not be thriving even as Prime Minister Justine Trudeau is professing friendship with India.
L’affaire Trudeau justifies the adage that politicians refuse to look beyond their noses for short-term gains. He has been taking the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP) of Jagmeet ‘Jimmy’ Singh Dhaliwal for his government’s survival.
Prime Minister Trudeau denies on record supporting the activities of the Sikh extremists but Dhaliwal’s party is known as the shield for the pro-Khalistani elements in the country.
Khalistan is well documented secessionist movement. Therefore, it should not have gained traction in Canada, which is home to ‘historical and active’ movements for secession or autonomy.
From Trudeau’s home base, Quebec to British Columbia and Alberta to Vancouver Island, Canada has witnessed people hitting the separatist button over a host of local issues besides broken promises of the national leadership.
Khalistan
Words such as referendum and self-determination might chime with Western sensibilities, but the likes of Justine Trudeau will do well to realise the dangers inherent in their short-term electoral politics. More so because Dhaliwal with his roots in Ontario province, takes recourse to verbal calisthenics that pleases the Sikh extremists but does not unequivocally condemn the demand for another division of India on religious grounds with the use of violence.
Arguably, the Canadian parliament is unique with the highest representation of Sikhs in any legislature in big democracies of the West. Most people of Indian origin who sit in the national assembly of Canada trace their origin to Punjab. Most of them are Sikhs but not all of them support Sikh extremists.
From what is in the public domain, the Sikh extremists are in the minority in their own community. Yet, the pro-Khalistani elements get to be heard widely and even manage to extract some political mileage in Canada.
A few years ago, the legislature of the southern Ontario province endorsed a private member’s motion that described the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as ‘genocide’
Recently, Brompton, known as the flower town, also in Ontario Province, witnessed a procession to ‘celebrate’ the assassination of Indira Gandhi in October 1984 by two of her Sikh guards.
Nearly 20 per cent of the Brompton citizens trace their origin to the Indian Punjab. The current Canadian population of immigrants from Punjab is said to be nearly a million; their population jumped several-fold between 2001 and 2021.
Neighbouring United States has a large Sikh population, particularly in the big state of California. Some of them had arrived there almost a century ago. They are peaceful, but in recent years, the Khalistan extremists have been attracting and brainwashing them.
Some time ago, San Francisco hosted a seminar where panellists had openly espoused the use of violence to achieve the so-called state of ‘Khalistan’. The star speaker was Trudeau’s present-day crutch, Jagmeet ‘Jimmy’ Singh Dhaliwal.
At the beginning of his political innings, Dhaliwal was hesitant to decry the role of Talwinder Singh Parmar, described as the mastermind of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 on June 23, 1985. Named after the Second Century Kushan dynasty emperor Kanishka, the Boeing, Kanishka, flying from Toronto to Bombay, plunged into the Atlantic Ocean killing all 329 passengers and 22 crew members. The plan to bomb the flight was hatched in Canada. It is the worst terrorist attack in the history of Canada.
Quite a few ‘wanted’ men and women, accused or found guilty of political assassinations and other crimes in India, head for Canada. Some of them manage to become prominent political or community figures. For instance, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, wanted in India for several criminal cases is the president of the Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Colombia.
Attacks on Indians or people of Indian origin by pro-Khalistani elements have been increasing regularly in Canada over the past few years, particularly in areas of Punjabi diaspora concentration. The rise in such cases suggests the inability or unwillingness of the Trudeau government to deal strictly with the provocateurs and perpetrators.
The British government is in no way different in this respect going by the vandalism indulged in by pro-Khalistan supporters at the Indian High Commission in London on March 19, 2023.
Both the US and Canada as also the United Kingdom have been welcoming and hosting dissidents and secessionists from the Third World countries while taking shelter under the good old liberal mindset. It is time they stop sailing in two boats since they have their share of active or dormant movements in their own backyard.
(The writers Malladi Rama Rao & Atul Cowshish are Delhi-based journalists and commentators)
The investigation is one of more than 100 current RCMP probes looking into foreign interference within Canada…reports Asian Lite News
Police in Canada have launched a probe into claims that China sought to intimidate MP Michael Chong and his family, the media reported.
Addressing a parliamentary committee here on Tuesday, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) interim commissioner Michael Duheme said that the force was only made aware of the allegation connected to Chong via Canadian media, reports the BBC.
A series of media reports, many based on leaked intelligence briefings and information accusing China of attempting to interfere in Canadian elections, have been published in recent months.
“When we were made aware of it, we approached Chong and began the investigation,” Duheme told federal lawmakers.
The investigation is one of more than 100 current RCMP probes looking into foreign interference within Canada, he added.
Canada’s intelligence agency believes Beijing sought details about Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong in an effort to deter “anti-China positions”, the BBC reported.
It came after the politician put forward a motion in Parliament in 2021 that declared China’s treatment of its ethnic Uyghur minority population a genocide.
China denied the accusations and sanctioned Chong shortly after.
Last month, Canada expelled a Chinese diplomat over the allegations.
Meanwhile, the RCMP is also assisting poll officials with investigating allegations of meddling by China in the last two federal elections.
Despite the outspoken opposition to separatist ideologies from certain Canadian politicians, like Chandra Arya, the road to a comprehensive resolution remains long and arduous…reportsAntariksh Singh/Khalsavox
The Canadian government’s silence on the issue of Khalistan separatism is raising eyebrows worldwide. This complex dance of politics, largely driven by the influence of a handful of individuals in the Sikh diaspora, is not only endangering Canada’s own national interests but also risking its economic future.
Recently, the city of Brampton hosted a parade featuring a disturbing tableau depicting the assassination of the late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This event starkly highlighted the burgeoning influence of Khalistan separatists in Canada, a phenomenon that has been growing since the tragic incident of the Air India flight 182 in 1985. The fact that Canadian politicians have allowed such separatist voices to grow louder is a dangerous game of appeasement, which seeks to secure votes at the expense of broader national interests.
Despite the outspoken opposition to separatist ideologies from certain Canadian politicians, like Chandra Arya, the road to a comprehensive resolution remains long and arduous.
Khalistan supporters in Canada have reached new low with a despicable float in a recent Brampton parade. The float celebrated the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with her cutout in white saree soaked in blood and cutouts of her bodyguard turned killers… pic.twitter.com/ZMBipjLMZn
Several Canadian politicians have been accused of bowing to Khalistan separatists to secure electoral victories. This strategy, though potentially fruitful in the short term, threatens Canada’s long-term interests by undermining the potential for deep ties with India, one of the world’s largest economies.
Jody Thomas, Canada’s National Security Advisor, recently accused India of ‘interference’, a claim that arguably was an attempt to appeal to a certain voter base. However, pandering to extremists and separatists could backfire and damage Canada’s reputation on the global stage.
With the Canadian economy already struggling, a strategic partnership with India could open avenues for increased trade, potential partnerships in the manufacturing sector, and access to a pool of skilled workers, which could address the labour and skill shortage that is currently crippling the Canadian economy. Canada had in fact earlier identified India as a critical partner in their Indo-Pacific strategy.
However, this potential economic boon is being overshadowed by vote-bank politics. The appeasement of Khalistan separatists, in an effort to secure electoral victories, threatens to strain the relationship between Canada and India. As a result, Canada could miss out on a valuable economic opportunity that could help turn around its economic downturn.
India has maintained strong trade and business ties with Canada, as evidenced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s request for Covid vaccines from India in 2021. However, the increasing influence of Khalistan separatists in Canada and the associated political appeasement could strain this relationship.
The Sikh diaspora, comprising 2.1 percent of Canada’s total population, plays a significant role in Canadian society and politics. Notably, Jagmeet Singh, a Canadian Sikh, is the head of the Canadian Left-leaning New Democratic Party. The potential influence of this community on the political landscape is significant, but it also raises the risk of manipulation by extremists who advocate for separatist causes, such as Khalistan.
While vote-seeking politics might deliver short-term electoral gains, they threaten to isolate Canada internationally, damage its national interests, and disrupt the potential for economic growth through stronger ties with India. The Canadian government must therefore tread carefully, ensuring that it does not compromise its future for the sake of short-term political gains.
Sean Fraser, Canada;s Minister.(photo:Sean Fraser/Twitter)
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser reiterated that they were working on helping innocent students…writes Vishal Gulati
Believing that immigrant students, largely from Punjab, who have been facing deportation from Canada over a case of fake documents, are the victims of fraud, the country’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said they would put a process in place to allow them to prove that they were taken advantage of and provide an appropriate remedy for them.
During Question Hour at the House of Commons on Monday, Fraser reiterated that they were working on helping innocent students.
“I’m glad to share that we have been working hard as we discussed a week ago. We’re working to develop a process to ensure that the innocent students, who are the victims of fraud, have an opportunity to remain in Canada,” he said in response to a question from Jenny Kwan, a member of the opposition New Democratic Party.
Fraser added people who knowingly committed fraud or were complicit in fraudulent scheme will bear the consequences of not following Canadian laws.
Acknowledging the mental health concerns of the affected students with the uncertainty they are facing, he said they will put a process in place to allow them to prove they were taken advantage of and provide a remedy for them.
Report says Canada exploiting Indian students for ‘cheap labour’
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has issued deportation notices to students whose admission offer letters to educational institutions were found to be fake.
They filed visa applications 2018 onwards till 2022 through Jalandhar-based Education Migration Services headed by one Brijesh Mishra, who is on the run and has shut all his operations operating from Jalandhar.
He is s also accused of cheating students of tens of thousands of dollars.
The students had gone to Canada on a study visa but the fraud came to light after they applied for permanent residency (PR) recently.
Standing behind the students facing deportation, Kwan, an MP for Vancouver East, had earlier moved two motions at the immigration committee in support of the international students subjected to exploitation scheme.
She questioned how this situation was allowed to happen and why fraudulent documents were not detected until years later when the students began to apply for permanent status.
Favouring a pathway on humanitarian grounds, Kwan said: “The significant harm experienced by students, including financial loss and distress, and measures necessary to help the students to have their deportation stayed, inadmissibility on the basis of misrepresentation waived and provide a pathway to permanent status.”
She asked the immigration committee to examine how to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
Saying the data of 700 Indian students who fear deportation is factually incorrect and highly exaggerated, Punjab-origin MP Sukh Dhaliwal said their number could be around 200.
“As per our (MPs) briefing (by the government), their number could be around 200, 50 cases are under consideration and some of them have already been deported,” Dhaliwal told IANS on Tuesday over phone.
He said only one student from Punjab who is facing deportation has contacted him.
“As per our information gathered by my office, the student, who passed out of a two-year programme from Langara College with high grades, is the genuine victim of fraud.
“We are in regular touch with the CBSA and immigration minister Sean Fraser and asked them to evaluate individually of those who were actually cheated and each one will be given the opportunity to present his/her case… The victim should not be punished but the culprit be brought to justice,” he added.
Dhaliwal said it is a network of immigration cheats, mainly based in Punjab and Delhi, who have colluded to cheat the Canadian system by getting the students admitted in a college on misrepresentation of facts and fraudulent details.
Canada invites 4800 candidates for its June 2023 Express Entry draw
Later, they told the students that their admission to the college has been cancelled due to a consultant’s disagreement with the college.
They further advised the student to take admission in any other college since they have study permit.
“I have also asked the Punjab government to rein in ghost consultants so that not only the students but also others who are coming as immigrants to Canada should be prevented from fraud,” he said, adding “they are a victim to fraud, due to which many of them went into a lot of stress”.
Lovepreet Singh, the first among the students to be deported on June 13, from Punjab’s Mohali is accused by Canadian authorities of obtaining a visa on fraudulent admission letter for a Canadian university.
His deportation has now been stayed.
Social media has score of stories about victims from India losing thousands of dollars to ghost or unauthorised consultants.
Many innocent people later realise that their consultants were unauthorised and not only cheated them but also ruined the application for permanent residency too.
A section of Indian students in Canada have been threatened with deportation for allegedly submitting fraudulent admission letters…reports Asian Lite News
Canadian Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has come out in support of Indian students facing deportation from Canada and put the blame on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for it.
Urging the government to stop the deportations, he urged the government to “prosecute fraudsters” and “let honest students stay and work and contribute to Canada.”
“The Trudeau government failed to protect international students from crooked scam artists. Now, Trudeau is punishing the victims by deporting the students–even those that acted in good faith & have been working & paying taxes here for years. Prosecute fraudsters. Stop the deportations. Let honest students stay, work & contribute to Canada,” Poilievre, the leader of the official Opposition in Canada wrote on Twitter.
Poilievre also posted pictures from his meeting with families of students facing deportation.
A section of Indian students in Canada have been threatened with deportation for allegedly submitting fraudulent admission letters and the actual number is much less than the 700 being reported in the media.
India has been raising the issue concerning Indian students facing deportation in Canada with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also taking up the matter with his Canadian counterpart, sources said and noted that Canadian authorities have been repeatedly urged to be fair since the students were not fault.
Jaishankar on June 8 while addressing a press conference in New Delhi had said that India will continue to press the case of Indian students stating that is unfair to punish a student who undertook their education in good faith and action should be taken against the culpable parties who misled them.
“For some time now, there is this case of students, who the Canadians say, did not study in the college in which they should have and when they applied for a work permit, they got into difficulties. From the very start, we have taken up this case and our point is, the students studied in good faith. If there were people who misled them, the culpable parties should be acted against. It is unfair to punish a student who undertook their education in good faith,” Jaishankar told reporters.
According to sources, some Indian students in Canada have been threatened with deportation for allegedly submitting fraudulent admission letters and while according to some media reports some 700 students are protesting their deportation, the actual number is much less than that being reported.
Most of these students had gone to Canada during 2017-2019. After completing their studies, some of them obtained work permits, while others continue to study in Canada.
Sources said it was also pointed out that there were gaps in the Canadian system and a lack of diligence, owing to which the students were granted visas and also allowed to enter Canada.
Since then, Canadian parliamentarians across political parties have spoken in support of the students, sources added.
Immigration Minister Sean Frasier has indicated that Canada is actively pursuing a solution for international students who are facing uncertainty. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the need for fair treatment of students.
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal also on Friday wrote letters to the Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma and Canada High Commissioner to India Cameron Mackay to solve the issue of 700 students who are facing deportation from Canada.
Canadian parliamentarians from different political parties also spoke in support of the students, and immigration minister Sean Frasier indicated Canada is pursuing a solution for international students who are facing uncertainty. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau too acknowledged the need for fair treatment of the students.
Addressing a media briefing last week, Jaishankar said the matter involved students who the “Canadians say did not study in the college which they should have studied” and then faced difficulties when they applied for work permits.
“Our point is that, look, the students studied in good faith. If there were people who misled them, the people who misled them, the culpable parties should be acted against. It is unfair to punish a student who undertook their education in good faith,” he said.
“If a student has done no wrong, they accept the idea that they have to find some solution for it. So, we will continue to press [this issue], and I would very much hope that the Canadian system is fair in that regard.” (ANI)
