India Hails Canada’s “Compassionate Stand” on Student Deportations: Sources

India Commends Canada’s “Humane Approach” to Student Deportations

According to sources, India has expressed appreciation for the compassionate stance adopted by the Canadian government regarding the deportation of Indian students implicated in acquiring fake “admission offer” letters from untrustworthy education consultants. The majority of these students migrated to Canada between 2017 and 2019, with some also obtaining work permits.

Indian authorities have been actively addressing the issue with their Canadian counterparts, both in Canada and in New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also raised the matter with his Canadian counterpart. Sources revealed, “Canadian authorities were consistently urged to exercise fairness and embrace a humanitarian approach since the students were not at fault.”

The Indian side also highlighted the deficiencies in the Canadian system and a lack of due diligence, which allowed the students to obtain visas and enter the country. The Indian consulate officials in Toronto have met with the protesting students.

While fewer than 700 students, primarily from Punjab, currently face imminent deportation, recent developments have sparked hope. Lovepreet Singh, an Indian student scheduled for deportation on Tuesday, received temporary relief after the Canadian government postponed the action.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered reassurance to the students, stating that his government’s focus lies in identifying “the culprits, not penalizing the victims.” He further added, “We are well aware of the cases involving international students who received removal orders due to fraudulent college acceptance letters. Victims of fraud will have the opportunity to present their situations and provide evidence to support their cases.”

A Canadian parliamentary committee unanimously voted to urge the border services agency to halt the deportation of Indian students who fell victim to unscrupulous education consultants in India.

Sources concluded, “The government of India’s consistent efforts have played a significant role in persuading the Canadian government to adopt a compassionate approach and consider the students’ perspective.”