Indian students are worried about their careers, why?
Students, who travelled thousands of miles with dreams of securing a brighter future, now find themselves grappling with unexpected changes in immigration policies. A large number of students have protested against a new federal policy in Canada that puts them at risk of getting deported from the country. Many international students, particularly those from India, dream of moving to the North American country to build a better life, but the announced immigration policy changes have left the future of more than 70,000 student graduates in fear. Indian students have camped before the legislative assembly in Canada’s Prince Edward Island province, protesting the sudden policy change for over three months and the impact has been devastating for these students who had planned to apply for permanent residency after completing their studies say they are now left with heavy loans and shattered dreams.
What are the new policy changes made by the Canadian government?
What are the demands of Indian students?
The protesting students have highlighted three important demands.
Impact
Demographic shift
Advocacy response
Advocacy groups call for clear pathways to permanent residency. The International Sikh Student Organization argued that the current employment and housing issues are due to broader policy failures, not the influx of international students. They have made significant investments in education and the Canadian economy claiming they are now being told to complete their degrees and return home with massive debts. They are pressing the government to extend post-graduate work permits, create consistent and transparent avenues to permanent residency, and address the underlying conditions.
Why Canada Cut Study Visas For International Students?
The inflow of international students has made up 37% of study visa holders in 2023 significantly putting pressure on Canada’s housing, healthcare, and other services responding to the Canadian government that imposed a cap on international student permit applications while managing the growth over the next two years. Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, foreign nationals can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border from June 21 and this decision targets “flagpoling”, where temporary residents exit and re-enter Canada to expedite work or study permit applications.
The protests in PEI are the beginning of wider unrest among international students in Canada, especially as immigration policies tighten, with their work permits expiring and no extensions available, many students face the daunting prospect of returning home or continuing to protest in hopes of policy revisions.
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