Canada Tweaks Verification Steps To Protect Global Students From Fraud

Canada has announced several measures to protect international students from fraud. One of the key changes is that post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLI) will be required to confirm every applicant's letter of acceptance through a new verification process before a study permit is issued starting December 1.

In a statement, the Canada government said the country is a top destination choice for international students, but they have also experienced some serious challenges navigating Canada's international student programme.

The announcement comes days after India re-opened visas for students among four categories of the travel document. India had stopped visa services from Canada following souring of ties due to Canada's alleged inaction against Khalistani elements.

The new process will help international students avoid problems that some of them faced earlier this year as a result of fraud investigations, and  will also ensure that study permits are issued based only on genuine letters of acceptance, Canada Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in the statement.

In time for the fall 2024 semester, the IRCC will adopt a "recognised institution" framework to benefit post-secondary DLIs that set a higher standard for services, support and outcomes for international students, the Canadian government said, adding these DLIs will benefit, for example, from the priority processing of study permits for applicants who plan to attend their school. IRCC refers to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

"We're also assessing criteria for post-graduation work permits and, in the coming months, will begin introducing changes that will benefit Canadian employers across the country and help meet regional and Francophone immigration goals," Canada said in the statement.

The Canada Border Services Agency had earlier this year issued deportation letters to some 700 Indian students, mostly from Punjab, after it found their admission letters to Canadian universities to be fake.

Most of the students had arrived in Canada in 2018, but claimed the issue of fake letters surfaced only after five years when they applied for permanent residency.

The issue had reverberated in the Canadian parliament where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said his focus was on "identifying the culprits and not penalising the victims."