New Delhi: India’s continuous efforts have paid off in the case of some Indian students who are facing the possibility of deportation from Canada. Those students have got stay order there. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to the Canadian Foreign Minister on this matter. Along with this, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Consulate in Toronto have also made continuous efforts. Canada was told that it is not the fault of the students that visa fraud has happened to them, so a humanitarian approach should be adopted. Welcome to this stay. Although the number of 700 which is being reported in the media, the actual number is much less than that.
In fact, some Indian students in Canada were threatened with deportation for allegedly submitting fake documents. Most of these students went to Canada during 2017-2019. After completing their studies, some of them obtained work permits, while others continued to study in Canada.
India has been taking up this matter with the Canadian authorities, both in Canada and in New Delhi. The External Affairs Minister also spoke with his Canadian counterpart. The issue was raised by the former secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs during his visit to Canada in April this year. The Indian Consulate in Toronto, where most of the students live, met many of them.
The Canadian authorities were repeatedly urged to be fair and take a humane approach, as the students were not at fault. It was also pointed out that there were loopholes in the Canadian system, due to which the students were granted visas and were also allowed to enter Canada.
Since then, Canadian MPs across political parties have spoken out in support of the students. Immigration Minister Sean Frazier has indicated that Canada is actively pursuing a solution for international students facing uncertainty. PM Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the need for fair treatment of students.
Some students have recently received stay orders on their expulsion notices. It is welcome that the persistent efforts of the Government of India have been instrumental in making the Government of Canada adopt a humane approach and accept the students’ point of view.