As 3 Canada colleges shut down abruptly, Indian high commission issues advisory for students

The Indian high commission in Ottawa on Friday (local time) issued an advisory for Indian students affected by the abrupt closure of three institutions.

The three colleges –M College in Montreal, CED College in Sherbrooke and CCSQ College in Longueil – had reportedly filed for creditor protection and blamed their financial crisis on the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. The high commission was approached by several Indian students enrolled in these colleges, all run by Rising Phoenix International Inc in the Quebec province.

“The High Commission has been approached by several students from India who were enrolled in the three institutions run by Rising Phoenix International Inc…and who have been affected by the notice of closure of these institutions,” the advisory read.

The high commission said it has been in close contact with Canada’s federal government, the provincial government of Quebec, and the Canadian representatives from the Indian community to provide support to the affected students and for the resolution of this issue.

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.

The high commission also cautioned Indian students planning higher studies in Canada 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.