Thousands of students are protesting across Canada against the Justin Trudeau government’s decision to limit study permits and reduce permanent residency nominations.

The Incident arose as over 70,000 international student graduates in North America risk deportation due to recent changes in federal immigration policies.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday also announced that his government will reduce the number of temporary foreign workers doing low-wage jobs.

In 2021, the work permit for international students under the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program was abolished, and last year, the federal government also introduced a two-year cap on international student visas.

In 2023, international students accounted for 37 percent of study visa holders in Canada, contributing to existing pressures from the housing crisis, unemployment, and other services. With the cap on student visas, the government expects a 35 percent reduction in the intake of foreign students.

To address this, the Canadian government in June announced that foreign nationals can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border.

The protests are taking place from coast-to-coast, with international students setting up encampments and organising rallies in various provinces, including Prince Edward Island (PEI), Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.

In PEI, hundreds of students have been protesting outside the legislative assembly for over three months, challenging the changes in immigration rules.

Representatives from the Naujawan Support Network, a student advocacy group, have warned that many graduates could face deportation when their work permits expire at the end of the year.

The situation has become particularly dire due to new provincial policies that have introduced a 25% reduction in permanent residency nominations, leaving many students unexpectedly vulnerable.

“I spent six years taking risks to come to Canada. I studied, worked, paid taxes, and earned enough Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, but the government has taken advantage of us,” Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student facing deportation, told City News Toronto.

Singh, who invested his family’s life savings in tuition, is now confronting a daunting deadline with no guarantee of permanent residency.

Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, said foreign nationals can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border from June 21.

This decision targets “flagpoling”, where temporary residents exit and re-enter Canada to expedite work or study permit applications.

The PGWP is crucial for international students seeking employment and permanent residency, with a notable surge in issuances in 2023 as compared to 2018. (The Nation)

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