Indian students studying in Canada get alarmed when they receive a mail from the IRCC that claims they need to submit their documents again, which consists of study permits and visas besides educational marks and attendance records.
The unexpected demand has sent wide-spread panic among the students whose visas remain valid up to two years, Times of India reports.
The move comes amidst stricter policies imposed by Canada to govern the flow of international students, including tighter financial requirements and consideration of capping admissions.
“I was a bit shocked when I received the email. My visa is valid until 2026, yet I was asked to submit all my documents again,” Avinash Kaushik, a postgraduate student from Hyderabad studying in British Columbia’s Surrey told ToI. He further added, “They even want proof of attendance, marks, where we are working part-time, etc.”
This past week, it has been reported that students from Punjab were being called to IRCC offices for in-person verification of their credentials, as demanded.
The country has the highest number of Indian students. According to India’s ministry of External Affairs, today Canada holds the highest number of Indian students studying abroad, about 4.2 lakh presently and the United States ranks next with 3.3 lakh.
Students are requesting IRCC to clarify their intentions and assuage their fears. Meanwhile, experts on immigration have advised students to reply in time to these demands to avoid complications.
According to the TOI reports, this seems to be a part of the larger policy by Canada to manage its international students, said immigration consultant Mehbub Rajwani based in Toronto. “Caps and financial requirements being introduced are a clear signal. This move could also be to filter out genuine students as many change their designated learning institution (DLI) and shift to one where there is no restriction on attendance so they can work in Canada,” he said.
Canada stopped its popular Student Direct Stream (SDS) program last month, which allowed overseas students to apply for study permits more quickly.
