New Delhi/IBNS: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the High Commission in Canada are working to address the matter of 700 Indian students, primarily from Punjab, facing deportation from the country owing to fake admission offers.

Jaishankar's statement comes following Punjab's NRI Affairs Minister Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal's appeal for intervention.

These students are at risk of deportation after Canadian authorities found out that their admission offer letters to educational institutions in the country were fake.

This issue surfaced in March when the students applied for permanent residency in Canada.

Speaking on the same, Jaishankar said, "From the very start, the MEA and the high commission have taken up their case. The culpable parties should be punished. The latest report is that Canadians accept that it would be unfair if the student has done no wrong, they accept the idea that they have to find a solution to it. I feel the Canadian system is fair in that regard."

In his letter to Jaishankar, Dhaliwal underscored the innocence of these students, indicating that they had been duped by fraudsters.

He wrote, "I shall be highly grateful if you again look into the matter personally and take up the matter with concerned agencies including the High Commission of Canada and the government of Canada so that these students can be saved from being deported."

Dhaliwal, who has also requested a meeting with Jaishankar to discuss the matter in person, argued that these students should be granted work permits instead of being deported, considering their visas.

He appealed to the citizens of Punjab to verify the authenticity of the college and the travel agent's record before planning to study abroad.