Indian Students From Punjab and Haryana Face Visa Rejection as Australia Joins Canada

In a surprising turn of events, several Australian universities and vocational course providers have reportedly stopped processing applications from students from Punjab and Haryana, two northern Indian states. This was revealed in a news piece by The Australian Today, which cited Times Higher Education.

According to the report, Australian officials from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) have warned international education providers about an increase in “low-quality applications” from India.

Recognition of Indian Degrees in Australia

Earlier in March, the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, had announced that Indian degrees would be recognized in his country.

During his visit to India, he said, “If you are an Indian student who is studying or has studied in Australia, your hard-earned degree will be recognized when you return home. Or if you are a member of Australia’s very large Indian diaspora — 500,000 and growing — you will feel more confident that your Indian qualification will be recognized in Australia.”

Canadian Authorities Ask More Than 700 Indian Students to Return to India

In another development, Canadian authorities have reportedly ordered the return of over 700 Indian students in cases involving forged “admission offer letters.”

The admission offer letters provided by the migration agent to these students were discovered to be fake during scrutiny by the Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA).

These students came to Canada about three years ago, finished their studies, and gained Canadian work experience through a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). During the CBSA investigation, however, the offer letters of students were discovered to be forged.

Support for Indian Students from a Canada-Based Foundation

Friends of Canada and India Foundation, based in Canada, has offered assistance to the affected Indian students. The foundation has written to Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, requesting an immediate halt to the deportation proceedings.

The foundation stated in the letter that deporting students would be disastrous for their young lives and would harm Canada’s image as a preferred destination for higher education around the world.

It urged the Minister to treat this case with compassion and to conduct a thorough investigation, given that the student visas and work permits were granted on the basis of forged documents pertaining to Canadian institutions.