The new policies are aimed at reducing the number of permanent residency nominations by 25 per cent as well as limiting study permits.
New Delhi:
Hundreds of Indian student graduates have staged protests 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 in hopes of building a better life. The announced immigration policy changes have left the future of more than 70,000 student graduates in uncertainty.
Indian students have been camping in front of the legislative assembly in Canada's Prince Edward Island province, protesting the sudden policy change for more than three months. Similar demonstrations were also witnessed in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
The new policies aim to reduce the number of permanent residency nominations by 25 percent and to limit study permits.
The change comes as Canada experienced rapid population growth over the past few years. Around 97 percent of last year's population increase in Canada was driven by immigration, according to federal data.
Representatives from the student advocacy group Naujawan Support Network have warned that graduates are at risk of being deported when their work permits expire at the end of this year.
"I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada," says Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student who is facing deportation.
"For the past six years, I studied, worked, paid taxes, and earned enough CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points, but the government has just taken advantage of us," Mr. Singh said.
Like many international students, Mr. Singh had spent his family's life savings on college tuition fees in the hopes of eventually gaining permanent residency.
Amid a local housing and jobs crisis, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is under pressure to reduce the number of temporary residents, which has seen a staggering growth in recent years. Mr. Trudeau has been trailing in polls ahead of an election expected next year.
The Canadian government is also reducing the number of temporary foreign workers it brings in, reversing its decision to expand the program in 2022. The program allows immigrants to work in the country on a short-term basis to fill labor shortages.
According to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), 183,820 temporary foreign worker permits were granted in 2023, a steep 88 percent increase from 2019. The ESDC on Monday criticized employers for using the program to "circumvent hiring talented workers in Canada."
Under the new changes, work permits will be denied in regions where the unemployment rate is at or above 6 percent. The changes will exempt sectors like agriculture, food processing, construction, and healthcare.
"We're looking at the various streams to make sure that as we move forward, Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure there's pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada," Justin Trudeau told reporters on Monday.
The government has also promised more measures to reduce the temporary resident population to 5 percent of Canada's total population in three years.
The International Sikh Student Organization, an advocacy group, insisted that the prevailing employment and housing issues are rooted in broader policy failures rather than the migration of international students.
