Hundreds of Indian student graduates have protested a new government policy in Canada that puts them at risk of being deported.
Many overseas students, particularly those from India, aspire to move to North America in search of a better life, but the recently announced immigration policy changes have cast doubt on the futures of over 70,000 student graduates.
For more than three months, Indian students have been camping out in front of Canada’s Prince Edward Island legislature, protesting the unexpected policy shift. Similar demonstrations occurred in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
The move comes as Canada’s population has grown rapidly in recent years. Immigration accounted for over 97% of Canada’s population rise last year, according to federal figures.
Representatives from the student advocacy organization Naujawan Support Network have warned graduates that their work permits will expire at the end of this year, putting them at danger of deportation.
“I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada,” says Mehakdeep Singh, a former foreign student fearing deportation.
“For the past six years, I studied, I worked, I paid taxes, I earned enough CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points but the government has just taken advantage of us,” says Mr. Singh.
Like many international students, Mr Singh had spent his family’s life savings on college tuition fees in the hopes of eventually gaining permanent residency.
Amid a local housing and jobs crisis, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is under pressure to reduce the number of temporary residents, which has seen a staggering growth in recent years. Mr Trudeau has been trailing in polls ahead of an election expected next year.
The Canadian government is also reducing the number of temporary foreign workers it brings in, reversing its decision to expand the programme in 2022. The programme allows immigrants to work in the country on a short-term basis, meant to fill labour shortages.
According to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), 183,820 temporary foreign worker permits were granted in 2023, a steep 88 per cent increase from 2019. The ESDC on Monday criticised employers for using the programme to “circumvent hiring talented workers in Canada”.
Under the new changes, work permits will be denied in regions where the unemployment rate is at or above 6 per cent. The changes will exempt sectors like agriculture, food processing, construction and healthcare.
“We’re looking at the various streams to make sure that as we move forward, Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure there’s pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada,” Justin Trudeau told reporters on Monday.
The government has also promised more measures to reduce the temporary resident population to 5% of Canada’s total population in three years.
The International Sikh Student Organization, an advocacy group, insisted that the prevailing employment and housing issues are rooted in broader policy failures rather than the migration of international students.
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