Hundreds of Indian students in Canada recently became the centre of a deportation controversy after they were duped by an unscrupulous immigration agent in India. The Canadian government had initiated deportation proceedings against these students due to fake documents. However, after much protest and diplomatic intervention, the deportation has been temporarily halted, bringing much-needed relief to the affected students.
Deportation Crisis: A Brief Overview
The protests began on June 5, 2023, when Canadian authorities initiated deportation proceedings against Lovepreet Singh, one of the 700 students who received a deportation notice. Singh, originally from Punjab, was asked to leave Canada by June 13 after it was discovered that the offer letter he had used to enter Canada on a study permit six years ago was fake.
This discovery resulted in the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) uncovering a larger scam that had affected several other Indian students, mainly from Punjab, who had entered Canada on the basis of similar fake documents provided by an agent named Brijesh Mishra.
Fraudulent agents and scams
Most of the affected students were victims of a fraud perpetrated by an unauthorised consultant from Jalandhar, Brijesh Mishra. Mishra had provided fake offer letters from Canadian colleges and universities, making the students believe that they had received legitimate admission. Even Canadian embassy officials did not detect the forgery while granting visas.
Upon reaching Canada, these students discovered that they were not enrolled in the institutions they were supposed to attend. Mishra had assured them to either wait for a semester or enroll in alternate colleges, which further delayed the detection of the fraud.
Protests and diplomatic intervention
Some of these students had come to Canada as early as 2016, but realised the extent of the fraud only when they applied for permanent residence in Canada. Following the CBSA investigation, more than 700 students were issued deportation notices.
Following widespread protests and the intervention of Aam Aadmi Party MP Vikramjit Singh Sawhney, the Canadian government agreed to halt the deportations. Sawhney stressed that the students were victims of fraud, not criminals, and urged both the Canadian and Indian governments to resolve the issue fairly.
conclusion
While the deportation moratorium has brought temporary relief to these Indian students, the issue highlights the need for stricter scrutiny in the immigration process to protect individuals from fraudulent agents. Both governments are expected to work together to find a long-term solution for the affected students.
