Canada is set to deport 700 Indian students after authorities identified fake college admission letters that were used to study and stay in the North-American country.
The Canadian Border Security Agency issued deportation notices to the students, most of whom arrived in Canada through a Punjab-based migration services company, local Indian media reported.
The forged documentation came to light when the students began to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
The immigration officials reviewed the authenticity of the college admission letters during the process and they were found to be fake.
Most of the students who are now facing deportation, reportedly finished their education, applied for and received a work permit, and gathered the work experience required to apply for a permanent residency.
How it Happened
All 700 students who were issued the deportation notice had applied for a study visa after grade 12 through the Education Migration Services firm in Jalandhar, Punjab.
Headed by Brijesh Mishra, the consultancy service for migration through education, charged each student nearly $20,000 (INR 1,600,000) for expenses related to the migration, including admission to Humber College, The Indian Express (TIE) reported.
This cost did not include the flight fare, which on the lower end can cost $1,600 (INR 135,000) one way, and security deposits of unknown amounts.
The Canadian study visa was granted between 2018 and 2019 based on a now-identified forged college admission letter, according to the media reports.
The Times of India (TOI), citing the experiences of some of the duped students, reported that Mishra abruptly notified the students about a change in the college from Humber to a lesser-known institution after they landed in Canada.
The unsuspecting students, who trusted Mishra after he returned the pricier Humber fee tuition, took admission for a two-year diploma course in an alternate college.
The Fraud
The TOI report said that Mishra, who allegedly conducted the elaborate fraud, did not sign any documents, including the visa applications.
This meant that the students were implicated as having forged the document themselves, since the documents did not mention the presence of an agency-led application.
The report said that the notices were issued after granting the students an opportunity for a hearing. Apart from the deportation, no financial penalties have been issued on the students.
The students can reportedly appeal the deportation claim, although proceedings may take three to four years and involve hiring expensive lawyers, TOI reported.
A new report from TIE said that Mishra’s firm was raided by the police over 10 years ago. He was arrested in 2013 for forging documents to send students abroad.
At the time, he was running another immigration company called Easy Way Immigration Consultancy.
Mishra has reportedly not been seen at the firm in a few months, and the website linked to the company is no longer active.
The question of why the forged documents were initially not flagged by the immigration department at time of applying for the study visa remains.
Why are Indians moving out?
Many students from India are opting to relocate to Canada by means of education or to fill vacant job roles that cannot be filled by the local population adequately.
The move to the North American country is further being fueled by relatively lax migration policies, similar to Australia.
Middle-class Indians have for decades sought better prospects in other countries. But worsening economic conditions are now driving families from poorer rural areas to make big investments to set up new lives overseas.
The move comes despite the initial elevated costs of studying and living in countries like Canada and Australia.
In 2021, a total of 163,370 Indians renounced their citizenship, according to information shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The highest number of applications to renounce Indian citizenship, the data revealed, came from the US with 78,284, followed by Australia with 23,533, and Canada with 21,597.
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies
H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.
During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.
He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.
The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.
At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books
As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”
Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.
Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.
Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.
Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.
Automation
The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.
Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.
US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79
US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.
In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.
He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.
President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.