Canada is currently engulfed in nationwide protests as over 70,000 international student graduates are at risk of deportation due to recent federal policy changes. The unprecedented number of students who arrived in Canada with aspirations for a better future now find themselves in a state of uncertainty.
Federal Policy Changes Impact International Students
The Naujawan Support Network, a collective advocating for student rights, highlights that these graduates face deportation when their work permits expire at the end of this year. This development follows a Canadian government announcement imposing new restrictions on immigration policies, including limitations on study permits.
These policy changes have had a devastating impact. Tens of thousands of international students, who had planned to apply for permanent residency upon completing their studies, are now burdened with heavy loans and shattered dreams.
Historically, study permits have served as an avenue for foreign nationals to eventually gain Permanent Residency and citizenship in Canada. However, this year poses an unprecedented challenge with a record number of temporary residents set to face expiring work permits. At the Liberal cabinet retreat in Halifax, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged that these foreign workers played a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced labor shortage but noted that Canada’s economic needs have since evolved.
Rallying Coast-to-Coast
International students across Canada are organizing protests nationwide in response to the looming deportations.
In Prince Edward Island, a group of students has set up encampments outside the legislative assembly, protesting overnight for more than three months.
The international students describe their situation as dire due to new provincial policies that mandate a 25 percent reduction in permanent residency nominations, leaving many unexpectedly vulnerable to deportation.
Similar protests are occurring in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
“For the past six years, I studied, worked, paid taxes, and earned sufficient CRS [Comprehensive Ranking System] points,” says Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student now facing deportation. “But the government has just taken advantage of us.”
Hope and Uncertainty Among International Students
The ongoing protests highlight the increasing frustration and desperation among international students who believe they have been unfairly targeted by the government. Despite their significant investments in education and contributions to the Canadian economy, these students now face massive debts and are being instructed to complete their studies and return home.
The students and their advocates are calling on the government to extend post-graduate work permits, establish clear and transparent pathways to permanent residency, and address the systemic issues that facilitate their exploitation.
Without these critical changes, there is a growing fear that Canada will not only lose a large portion of its skilled workforce but also the trust of future international students.
