Indian Students In Canada Protest Over Immigration Policy Changes

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?

• With the new changes announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, there are now more restrictions on study permits, which increases the risk of deportation for these students.
• The new changes will stop hiring low-wage temporary foreign workers in areas with an unemployment rate of 6% or more.
• Employers will also be limited to hiring just 10% of their workers as low-wage temporary foreign workers, and these workers’ permits will be cut from two years to one year.
• These changes, which will take effect on September 26, follow the previous adjustments made in March.

What are the demands of Indian students?

The protesting students have highlighted three important demands.

1. Grandfathering into the PNP System: Students who were already in Canada on valid work permits before the policy change should be allowed to continue under the old system.

2. Fair PNP Draws without a Point System: The recent exclusion of sectors like sales, services, and trucking from the PNP draws has disadvantaged many students. The protestors are demanding the same opportunities as other sectors, saying that the current point system, which requires 65 points, is nearly impossible for those under 25 to achieve.
3. Extension of Work Permits: Students are demanding for an extension of their work permits to allow more time to meet the new PR criteria.

Impact

• Policy changes impact over 70,000 Indian student graduates
• The revised immigration policies have left the future of more than 70,000 Indian student graduates in Canada uncertain.
• As per Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), this cap is expected to result in around 360,000 approved study permits in 2024, a 35% reduction from the previous year.

Demographic shift

• Canada has had rapid population growth in recent years with immigration for approximately 97% of last year’s increase and this inflow of international students has put significant pressure on Canada’s housing, healthcare, and other services, forcing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to reduce the number of temporary residents.
• The government is also reversing its decision to expand the program for temporary foreign workers it had initiated in 2022.

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.