While they may be meeting the criteria under the immigration program that brought them to P.E.I., many immigrants appear to not understand how to get their deposits back.

'[It's] never clear until they sit down to ask for the money back.' — Rob Reddin, Teacher

Under the immigrant partner section of the Provincial Nominee Program, immigrants pay two deposits: a $25,000 guarantee to remain in the province for a year and $20,000 to be returned upon learning English. Of the hundreds of immigrants who have come to P.E.I. under the program, only about 100 have had their residency deposits returned.

Fourteen Chinese immigrants attended the legislature's public accounts committee Wednesday with their English teacher, Rob Reddin. He said some of his students are waiting for their residency deposits.

"I'm not sure that immigrant investors are actually totally clear on how things are supposed to work, especially on the good faith deposit, and I think that was one that was probably dodged a little bit," he said.

"What exactly they are going to have to prove that they've been living in P.E.I. for a year is never clear until they sit down to ask for the money back."

Translating documents

Innovation Minister Richard Brown acknowledges that confusion from the immigrants is understandable. The province is hiring a consultant to make the process more clear.

"Let's translate all of the documentation into the language," said Brown.

"The good faith deposit, I can see where some of the confusion is: it's all in English. You know, the language deposit and things like that, the website."

Immigrants can use a number of documents — including telephone bills, school board enrolments and tax receipts — to prove they've been on P.E.I. for a year.

The immigrants at Wednesday's committee hearing said they will return when the committee meets again so they can find out more about the program that brought them to P.E.I.