Indian students protest against Canadian deportation rules amidst rising anxiety

PTC News Desk: Hundreds of Indian student graduates have taken to the streets in Canada to protest against new federal policies that put their residency status at risk. The protests, which began over three months ago, have been primarily concentrated in Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.

The new immigration policy introduces significant changes, including a 25% reduction in permanent residency nominations and tighter restrictions on study permits. This has left more than 70,000 student graduates uncertain about their future in Canada.

Many international students, especially from India, have invested substantial time, effort, and resources into their education in Canada, hoping to secure permanent residency. The policy shift has created anxiety among these graduates, who now face the threat of deportation when their work permits expire at the end of the year.

Student advocacy groups, such as the Naujawan Support Network, have raised alarms about the precarious situation of these graduates. Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student who is facing deportation, expressed his frustration, saying, “I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada. Despite studying, working, paying taxes, and earning enough CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points, the government has just taken advantage of us.”

Singh, like many others, invested his family’s savings in tuition fees with the hope of gaining permanent residency. The recent policy changes have shattered these hopes and added to the uncertainty faced by international students.

In response to the rapid population growth driven by immigration, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is under pressure to manage the influx of temporary residents. Trudeau’s government is also scaling back the number of temporary foreign workers allowed into the country, reversing a previous expansion of the program designed to address labor shortages.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) reported that 183,820 temporary foreign worker permits were granted in 2023, an 88% increase from 2019. The ESDC has criticized employers for using the program to bypass hiring skilled Canadian workers. Under the new policy, work permits will be denied in regions with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, with exceptions for sectors like agriculture, food processing, construction, and healthcare.

Prime Minister Trudeau stated, “We’re looking at various streams to ensure that as we move forward, Canada remains supportive of immigration while also being responsible in how we integrate and provide pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada.”

The Canadian government has also pledged to reduce the temporary resident population to 5% of the total population within three years.  The International Sikh Student Organization, among other advocacy groups, argues that the issues of employment and housing are rooted in broader policy failures rather than the migration of international students.

– With inputs from agencies