Indian students in lurch as 3 Canadian colleges shut down

The closure of three Canadian colleges run by a family with a chequered history has left nearly 2,000 students, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat, in the lurch with the immigration status of at least half of them under threat. The three private colleges — Collège de comptabilité et de secrétariat du Québec, College de I’Estrie and M College in Montreal city — and a recruiting firm, all owned by the Mastantuono family, filed for creditor protection in mid-January. After spending lakhs on fee and travel, the students have lost their student status and their visa and other documents have become invalid.

The high commission cautioned Indian students planning higher studies in Canada to make thorough checks of the credentials and standing of the institution before making any payments to such institutions. The Indian high commission in Ottawa on Friday asked Indian students affected by the abrupt closure of three institutions, to make thorough checks of the credentials and standing of the institution before applying for admission and making any payments to such institutions. “Please demand certificate of recognition by Canadian/ provincial government from the institutions and verify that the institution selected is included in the list of designated learning institutions published on the Government of Canada website,” it said.

Advisory for students from India affected by the closure of three colleges in Quebec, Canada.@meaMADAD @MEAIndia @EduMinOfIndia @Quebec_India pic.twitter.com/Fq8Cj63CQ1

— IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) February 19, 2022

The affected students have been advised by the Quebec government to directly contact the institutions where they are enrolled. In case the students face any difficulty in reimbursement of their fees or transfer of fees, the high commission said, they should file a complaint with the ministry of higher education of Quebec province. The authorities are providing a grace period to enrolled students who are already present in Canada to seek admission in an alternative institution.