Canada is currently witnessing countrywide protests as more than 70,000 international student graduates could face deportation due to recent federal policy changes.
These changes have left many students, who came to Canada with dreams of building a new life, in a state of uncertainty and despair.
Representatives from the Naujawan Support Network, a student advocacy group, have highlighted that these graduates are at risk of being deported when their work permits expire at the end of this year.
This situation has arisen following the Canadian government's decision to limit study permits and reduce permanent residency nominations.
The impact on these students has been devastating. Tens of thousands who had planned to apply for permanent residency after completing their studies now find themselves burdened with heavy loans and shattered dreams.
"I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada," says Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student facing deportation. "For the past six years, I studied, I worked, I paid taxes, I earned enough CRS [Comprehensive Ranking System] points, but the government has just taken advantage of us."
International students across Canada are organizing protests against the backdrop of looming deportations.
A group of students has set up encampments outside the legislative assembly in Prince Edward Island, protesting overnight for more than three months. Similar scenes can be witnessed in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
Kanwar Sierah, an immigration consultant, explains the inconsistency in the system: "At first, there were CEC [Canadian Experience Class] draws every two weeks, so they prepared for that. Now, students don’t know when the next draws will be, causing huge backlogs."
Hundreds of international students and immigrant workers have held rallies in recent months throughout Brampton, pushing back against a narrative that blames them for local housing and job crises.
These students and advocacy groups, such as the International Sikh Student Organization, argue that such problems are rooted in broader policy failures rather than the migration of international students.
They are calling on the federal government to extend work permits and provide clear pathways to permanent residency, emphasizing that they contribute hugely to the Canadian economy and deserve fair treatment.
The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced earlier this year that the Government of Canada would set an intake cap on international student permit applications to stabilize new growth for a period of two years.
For 2024, the cap is expected to result in approximately 360,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35% from 2023. This measure aims to address the rapid increases in the number of international students arriving in Canada, which have put pressure on housing, health care, and other services.
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