After Canada, Australia rejects visa applications of Indian students from Punjab, Haryana

In another major shock for India, the Australian authorities and universities have reportedly rejected the application of students from Punjab and Haryana. According to The Australian Today report citing Times Higher Education. some universities and vocational course providers have instructed their agents to stop processing the application form of students form these two northern states.

The report added that Australian officials from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) had warned international education operators about soaring numbers of “low-quality applications”.

Earlier in March, Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced that Indian degrees would be recognised in his country.

"If you are an Indian student who is studying or has studied in Australia, your hard-earned degree will be recognised 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 recognised in Australia," Albanese said during his visit to India this month.

Meanwhile, the Canadian authority has reportedly asked more than 700 Indian students to return to India in fake "admission offer letters" cases.

The issue came to light after the Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA) stated that admission offer letters from educational institutions provided by the migration agent to these students were found to be fake.

The students went to Canada about three years ago and completed their studies and gained Canadian work experience on a Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). However, during CBSA's scrutiny, the offer letters of students were found to be forged.

In the latest development on this issue, a Canada-based Friends of Canada & India Foundation has come out in support of these students.

The foundation has written a letter to Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, requesting an immediate stay on the proceedings to deport the students.

“We urge you to intervene in this matter and stop the deportation process immediately as this incident demands a broad investigation. The student visas and work permits were granted on the basis of forged documents pertaining to the Canadian institutions, this fact raises serious questions on the efficiency and competence of the Canadian immigration regime. It is understandable that protecting the integrity of the Canadian immigration regime is one of your priorities, but this special case demands a compassionate approach,” the letter read.

It added, "The students have invested their life’s earnings in getting higher education in Canada. A number of them come from poor and marginalised families. They have invested their time, money, and youth in Canada. They have done everything to prove themselves as good students and hard workers. The deportation will prove to be catastrophic to these young lives and it will also impact Canada’s image as a preferred destination for higher studies globally".