Jung-Joo Maeng said his family wanted to stay in Canada.

An economic development expert says Canada's decision to deport a South Korean family sends the wrong message to would-be immigrants.

The Department of Citizenship and Immigration told New Brunswick's Maeng family they have to leave Canada by the end of the month because care for their youngest son, who is epileptic and autistic, is too expensive.

Sung-Joo Maeng, 15, was diagnosed with autism and epilepsy at age five. His father, Tae-Shik Maeng, and his mother, Hee-Eun Jang, moved the family to Canada with the hope of getting help to treat their son's illnesses.

The family has owned and operated Moncton's Main Stop Oriental Market on West Main Street for several years.

Their oldest son, Jung-Joo, 19, — also known as John — is studying science at Dalhousie University in Halifax, with the goal of becoming a dentist.

"We don't want to leave. We love Moncton, we love Canada and New Brunswick. We're trying to do everything we can to be able to stay in Moncton," he said.

But Citizenship and Immigration denied an extension to their temporary resident permit because of Sung-Joo's medical and education expenses.

Not reflecting Canadian values

Economic development consultant David Campbell said given the importance of attracting and keeping immigrants, the decision by Immigration Canada doesn't make sense.

"It's one thing to make that kind of calculation to people maybe looking at moving to Canada; it's totally another thing to say to people that are already here and committed to building their lives here, 'Now we're going to do an economic calculation that says you're taking out more than you're putting in, so you're gone,'" he told CBC News.

Campbell said that does not reflect Canadian values.

He said the Korean Canadian community in Moncton is growing strongly and he believes people should stand up and let politicians know if they disagree with the decision by Citizenship and Immigration.

"I worry that this sends a really bad signal to both the current immigrants that are making a life in Canada and the ones that might be considering moving here," he said.

The Maeng family is planning to leave Canada before the end of June as ordered.

A spokesperson with Citizenship and Immigration Canada said it cannot talk about this specific case, but noted people who come to Canada with a temporary status do not hold the same rights as Canadian citizens.