CIMM – Letter of Acceptance Verification – October 24, 2023

Key Facts And Figures

• IRCC’s Domestic Network (DN) Risk Assessment Unit (RAU) launched the Letter of Acceptance Verification Project (LoAVP) in February 2018.
• In five years, 4,260 of the LoA verifications completed on 30,241 study permit applications were confirmed as being either fraudulent, altered, or no longer valid branches.

Key Messages

• IRCC takes the issue of program integrity seriously. We are strengthening International Student Program (ISP) integrity and enhancing protections to address student vulnerability and unethical recruitment, and to eliminate non-genuine-actors in the program.
• To protect prospective students from Letter of Acceptance (LOA) fraud, IRCC will implement an enhanced tool to verify LOAs issued from post-secondary Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs), before a study permit is issued. This solution will be launched in the near future.

Supplementary Information

• IRCC currently has several layers of verification to identify fraudulent products and integrity trends, including case-by-case LOA verification when required. Currently, IRCC determines whether LOA fraud has occurred by manually conferring with DLIs. If a processing officer has concerns about the LOA’s authenticity, they email the DLI to confirm the student’s acceptance. Once the DLI responds, the officer continues processing the application.
• In the enhanced LOA verification process, when a study permit application is submitted, IRCC will automatically send the DLI a request to verify the LOA. The DLI will have 10 calendar days to validate the information.

If Pressed on Letter of Acceptance Verification Tool Implementation:

• Consultation with national education associations and DLIs has been ongoing. To prepare DLIs for their role in this verification process, IRCC will offer information sessions and training in coming weeks. Detailed instructions will also be posted on IRCC's website prior to the process launch.
• Systematic verification of all post-secondary LOAs benefits all stakeholders:
  • IRCC: Ensures that we are dealing with legitimate LOAs.
  • Students: Limits the chance of exploitation by unscrupulous agents.
  • DLIs: Ensures that fake LOAs bearing the DLI’s name are not being used for nefarious purposes.

If Pressed on Fraud Detection Measures:

• We are taking every opportunity to crack down on dishonest and fraudulent consultants who seek to abuse Canada's immigration system and take advantage of those seeking to visit, work, study or settle here in Canada.

If Pressed on Protecting Students:

• We recognize the immense contributions that international students make to our country and we are committed to providing a path to Canada that is honest and transparent. All applicants must continue to ensure that, before applying for a study permit, they do their research, have an LOA from a DLI, and refer to the official IRCC website to get information about our programs and fraud prevention.
• If an individual believes they have been deceived by an unscrupulous consultant, we urge them to come forward and report fraud.