A Montreal lawyer is accusing the Quebec government of tricking hundreds of immigrants who took a vocational program and French classes, costing many of them thousands of dollars.
David Chalk said newcomers to Quebec had availed themselves of a program introduced in 2009 in which they took the classes at schools belonging to the English Montreal and Lester B. Pearson school boards.
At the time, they were told passing the courses would help them obtain a selection certificate which is required to obtain permanent residency. Chalk said the courses could cost up to $30,000.
According to Chalk, eight months ago many of those who had passed the courses began receiving letters and phone calls from government officials informing them there had been issues with their documents. Chalk said when they met with Quebec immigration officials, the documents were never mentioned. Rather, they were given French tests.
Many of them were told they were not only not going to receive their selection certificates but would be ineligible to apply again for five years.
“They’re very, very stressed. They are very anxious and also many of them are angry because they’re being called liars and they’re not,” he said. “They’re very disappointed and surprised they’re dealing with this kind of situation in Quebec because this is for many of them exactly the reason they wanted to make a future here rather than the countries they came from.”
Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil declined to comment on the program specifically but said that UPAC, Quebec’s anti-corruption police unit, was investigating several dossiers at both school boards.
