Hundreds of Indian student graduates have protested against a new federal policy in Canada that threatens their potential deportation from the country.
Many international students, especially from India, aspire to move to North America for a better life. However, recent immigration policy changes have cast uncertainty over the futures of more than 70,000 student graduates.
Indian students have been protesting outside the legislative assembly in Prince Edward Island for over three months due to the sudden policy change. Similar demonstrations have also occurred in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
The new policies aim to cut permanent residency nominations by 25 per cent and limit study permits. This adjustment follows rapid population growth in Canada over recent years. Federal data reveals that immigration was responsible for approximately 97 per cent of the population increase last year.
Representatives from the student advocacy group Naujawan Support Network have warned that graduates may face deportation when their work permits expire at the end of this year. “I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada,” says Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student who is facing deportation.
“For the past six years, I studied, worked, and paid taxes. I earned enough CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points, but the Government has simply exploited our efforts,” Singh said.
Like many international students, Singh had invested his family’s life savings into college tuition with the hope of eventually securing permanent residency.
Facing a local housing and jobs crisis, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Government is under increasing pressure to cut the number of temporary residents. This group has surged in recent years. Trudeau has been trailing in polls ahead of an election expected next year.
The Canadian Government is also scaling back the number of temporary foreign workers it brings in, reversing its 2022 decision to expand the program. This program, designed to address labour shortages, permits immigrants to work in Canada on a short-term basis.
According to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), 183,820 temporary foreign worker permits were issued in 2023, marking an 88 per cent increase from 2019. The ESDC on August 26 criticised employers for using the programme to “circumvent hiring talented workers in Canada”.
Under the new regulations, work permits will be denied in regions where the unemployment rate is 6 per cent or higher. However, agriculture, food processing, construction, and healthcare sectors will be exempt from this restriction. “We are evaluating various approaches to ensure that Canada continues to be welcoming and supportive of immigration while also being responsible in how we integrate newcomers and provide pathways to success for everyone,” Justin Trudeau said.
The Government has also promised more measures to reduce the temporary resident population to 5 per cent of Canada’s total population in three years. The International Sikh Student Organisation, an advocacy group, argued that the current employment and housing challenges stem from broader policy issues rather than the presence of international students.
