Recently, over 700 Indian students were at risk of deportation after Canadian federal authorities uncovered that the Letters of Admission (LOAs) they used to enter the country were fraudulent.
At the time the discovery was made, many of these students had already graduated and were employed in Canada.
Several students have been deported for similar violations, and more are expected to face the same fate.
As an international student in the country, violating the terms of your stay – whether by working without proper authorization, failing to maintain your student status, or engaging in illegal activities will get you deported.
If a student receives a deportation order (also called an order of removal), here’s what’ll happen.
What happens when an international student gets deported from Canada?
When you get deported from Canada as an international student, you’ll be legally removed from the country and sent back to your home country or wherever you reside.
Upon issuing your deportation or removal order, you’ll lose your student status and can no longer be allowed to stay in Canada – it will be the end of your current stay in the country.
If you have not completed your studies when the order was issued, you won’t be allowed to complete it, because you’re leaving immediately.
In addition to being sent back home, you’ll be banned from returning to Canada for a specific period, depending on the severity of the violation.
Furthermore, your education and any ongoing studies or plans for future applications will be affected.
Read also: 10 disadvantages of studying in Australia for international students
You’ll find it difficult to get visas to other countries as well because deportation records are often shared between nations.
Things that will happen when an international student gets deported from Canada
When an international student gets deported from Canada, the student will:
- Immediately be removed from the country: Deportation means removal from a country. When the deportation process is finalized, the student will be escorted by immigration officers to the airport (or port of entry) and placed on a flight out of Canada.
- Lose their study permit: The student’s study permit will be revoked, meaning they no longer have legal status to stay in Canada for academic purposes.
- Lose their student visa: In addition, the student’s visa will be terminated and can’t be used to enter Canada again.
- Be banned from re-entry: With deportation, you can always expect a ban on re-entry. The ban can be between 1 – 10 years or even a lifetime. The number of years depends on the severity of your offence.
- Find it difficult to get future visas: The deportation will be recorded in the student’s immigration history, making it difficult for the student to get future visas to Canada or other countries that share immigration details with Canada.
- Academic disruption: Once your study permit is revoked, you can’t continue studying in Canada, and will lose credits for the courses you were enrolled in.
- Loss of funds: Paid fees like tuition fees and other academic fees will be forfeited – if you’re on a scholarship, it’ll be terminated as well.
In addition to these obvious consequences, deportation is traumatic – you can face stigma upon returning to your home country.
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Each outcome will have a lasting impact on your life and future opportunities.
Why do students get deported from Canada?
International students can be deported for:
1. Expired study permit/visa
If you stay in Canada after your study permit/visa has expired, you’ll become an illegal resident and will subsequently be deported from the country.
If you wish to stay in Canada after your studies, extend your permit/visa before it expires or apply for other visas.
2. Not maintaining full-enrollment
Your visa is tied to your continued enrollment in your studies, and therefore, you must attend classes and engage in other academic activities to remain a student.
If you stop attending classes without any proper authorization, Canadian immigration authorities have the right to take action against you, which can lead to deportation.
3. Unauthorized work
International students are allowed to work in Canada for a limited number of hours.
If you work more than the allowed number of hours – you’re violating your student visa regulation and it can lead to deportation.
4. Criminal activities
Not only in Canada, engaging in criminal activities regardless of their severity is enough grounds for deportation.
Read also: Can international students work more than 40 hours in Canada?
If you engage in theft, drug-related crimes, or violence, you are heading towards deportation.
5. Misrepresentation
Canada frowns at misrepresentation, it can also render you inadmissible to Canada.
Misrepresentation like providing false information is a serious crime in Canada.
Read also: What happens if I don’t get my student visa on time?
If you’re found guilty, you’ll be deported and sometimes deemed inadmissible.
6. Health reasons
You can also be deported due to health issues.
If you develop a health challenge that threatens national security, public health or safety, the country may have to let you go home – however, not without doing their best for you.
7. Failure in studies
If you continuously fail in class, it can lead to deportation.
When you fail, you’ll be supported as much as possible but when it becomes continuous, you’ll leave the authorities no choice but to revoke your student status and subsequently send you back home.
8. Non-compliance with regulations
As a student in Canada, it is your responsibility to know the rules guiding your stay, you know what they say; ignorant of the law is not an excuse.
Read also: What happens when an international student drops out of college?
When you fail to comply with any rule, no matter how small, you’re inviting the eyes of the immigration authorities.
Can you go back if you are deported?
If you are deported, you can go back if you’re not permanently banned from entering Canada.
If you’re deported and banned temporarily, you can go back after the ban but, you must apply for Authorization to Return to Canada (ARC) before you’re allowed into Canada.
Read also: 20 cheapest colleges in Saskatchewan for international students.
If the CBSA paid for your removal from Canada, you’ll repay the money when you apply for ARC before you’re allowed into Canada.
How can an international student get deported?
When you commit a crime or violate an immigration rule worthy of deportation, you won’t be deported until you undergo these stages.
- Investigation: Immediately you are linked to any violation, the authorities will conduct a thorough investigation.
During the investigation, they’ll consider all the evidence against you and ensure the claims are valid.
- Notification: After validating the claims, you’ll be notified about the deportation order and you’ll be given a timeframe to leave the country.
- Fair hearing: In some instances, you’ll be allowed to defend yourself through the court.
- Detention: If your offence is severe and the authorities fear you’re a risk to the lives of others in the country, you’ll be detained till the deportation order is complete.
While in detention, you’ll be treated with respect.
- Appeals and legal procedures: You have the right to appeal the decision but need legal representatives.
If your appeal fails, you’ll finally be deported – legally removed from the country.
How do I know if I have a deportation order?
To know if you have a deportation order, you should:
- Check for any notification from IRCC or CBSA: If you have a deportation order, you’ll get correspondence from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
They can send you an email or send a representative to your place of residence to inform you in person.
- Contact IRCC or CBSA: You can directly contact IRCC or CBSA to know about your status. They’ll tell you if a deportation order has been issued.
If you do not have any case with the immigration authorities or have not violated any rules, you won’t get a deportation order.
Where do they drop you off when you get deported from Canada?
When you get deported, you’ll be flown back to your home country and handed over to your country’s immigration officers or law enforcement authorities at the nearest airport or entry point.
Deportation is a serious matter with devastating consequences – it has nothing but ruin written all over it.
As a student, you must avoid any actions that will lead to your deportation from Canada.