Canada to Tighten Student Admission Process to Prevent Immigration Fraud

Canada's Immigration Minister stated that the country will review and validate university acceptance letters to prevent scammers from exploiting international students. Mark Miller emphasized that he is not looking to impose restrictions on the entry of new international students. However, a new plan will be implemented to limit fraud against international students, requiring that acceptance letters be verified, and study permits will only be issued based on genuine acceptance letters. Miller told reporters that Canada is a popular destination for international students due to the ease of obtaining work permits, but the student immigration system has become rife with fraud. Earlier this year, the issue of fake acceptance letters came to light when dozens of foreign students received deportation letters, having been told they used fraudulent documents. Miller stated that starting in December, educational institutions must directly check each applicant's acceptance letter with Canadian immigration authorities. Canada also plans to implement a 'recognized institutions' program starting in the fall of 2024, identifying institutions that provide better services and housing for international students. These institutions will benefit from faster processing of student permit applications. Canada, with its aging population, relies on immigration to boost its economy. The Canadian government claims that international education contributes over CAD 22 billion annually to economic activity and supports over 200,000 jobs in Canada. Official data shows that there were over 800,000 foreign students with active visas in Canada in 2022, and about 900,000 students are expected to enter Canada in 2023.