By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Arising from a major immigration overhaul in Canada, tens of thousands of international students have taken to the streets to protest newly introduced policies by the Justin Trudeau-led government.
According to a report by City News Toronto, approximately 70,000 foreign students participated in nationwide protests, with demonstrations occurring across provinces including Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
The protests came in response to a series of immigration reforms that have left many international students in fear of possible deportation.
In 2021, Canada abolished the Post-Graduation Work Permit programme, which had previously allowed international students to gain valuable work experience in the country after completing their studies.
Also, the Federal Government introduced a two-year cap on international student visas last year, a development that has compounded the issues.
As of 2023, international students made up 37 per cent of study visa holders in Canada, reports say.
However, the recent cap on student visas is expected to reduce the intake of foreign students by 35 per cent, a move the government argues is necessary to alleviate pressures on housing, unemployment, and public services.
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.
Amid the protests, representatives from the student advocacy group Naujawan Support Network have warned that many graduates could face deportation once their work permits expire at the end of the year.
The situation has worsened with new provincial policies that have introduced a 25% reduction in permanent residency nominations.
“I spent six years taking risks to come to Canada. I studied, worked, paid taxes, and earned enough Comprehensive Ranking System points, but the government has taken advantage of us,” a former international student now facing the prospect of deportation, Mehakdeep Singh was quoted as saying.
