Citizenship and Immigration Minister Sean Fraser speaks to media during a press conference in the foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Fraser says the deportation orders for international students caught up in a fraud scheme have been put on hold, and a task force has been struck to investigate each individual case. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says deportation orders for international students caught up in a fraud scheme have been put on hold while a task force investigates each case.
Hundreds of students might have been affected by the scheme, which saw immigration agents issue fake acceptance letters to get international students into Canada.
Some students had no idea their documents were forged until it came time for them apply for permanent residency.
Fraser says the department is aware of only few dozen who have been ordered to leave the country, and that process will be paused.
A task force of senior immigration and border control officials will go through each case to determine whether the student was in the know about the scam or not.
The minister says those who are believed to be innocent victims will be offered the chance to stay in Canada for several years while they apply for permanent residency or complete their studies.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2023.
