Studying in Canada is a dream for many around the world. Few lucky ones get this opportunity to Study in Canada. The dream of these International Students of completing their Degree in Canada and for a bright future is at risk.
Approximately 2,000 International Students mostly Indians were supposedly left in reel after three schools in Canada’s City of Montréal, in the province of Quebec closed suddenly.
These 3 Colleges were:
- CDE College in Montreal
- M College
- CCSQ (Collège de comptabilité et de secrétariat du Québec)
Located in the beautiful neighborhoods of Longueuil and Sherbrooke, these colleges filed for Bankruptcy.
These Indian Students spent thousands of dollars in form of tuition fees, visa and travel costs, and now their spent money as well as their future is on stake.
Out of 2,000 International Students, 1,173 Indian Students were the regular students of these three colleges, attending their classes at the college premises, and 637 were attending their classes online while staying back in their home country, India.
As confirmed by News, these colleges asked their students to pay fees ahead of time (somewhere between 900,000 INR to 1,700,000 INR), just before the colleges were about to close for Winter holidays. Some students paid this advance fees and some couldn’t pay due to there personal / financial reasons. The Winter break was from November 30th to January 10th. At the point when students returned on 10th January, they found the colleges were closed.
Once confirmed that the college administration is more available and colleges are closed, students with nothing left behind gathered under the umbrella of Montreal Youth Student Organization MYSO, organized a rally in Montreal. Also the rallies were organized in a peaceful manner in other cities of Canada like in Brampton, Ontario and in British Columbia also. Students protested and demanded the justice for their future. The letters were given to Education Minister of Canada, Member Parliament of Montreal, Few Other Ministers and to the Indian Ambassador also.
The biggest problem these students are facing right now is that their Student Visa status is no more valid, their right to work in Quebec is not valid. Demands of these students includes Fees Refund, resume studies at any other institution, Visa Status and Work Permits.
M College was offering four different courses in Technology, Health and Business. Students at CDE college were studying Information Technology and Business administration and CCSQ was having two campuses in Longueuil and Sherbrooke with the courses in Medical, Computers, Law, Accounts and Secretarial Education.
These students are between the ages of 18 to 22, mostly from the State of Punjab in India.
Helpless students are now in the middle of nowhere. All eyes are on the authorities. Hoping to get justice in their cases.