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Indian students have been protesting outside the legislative assembly in Prince Edward Island for over three months. Similar demonstrations have been taking place in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia, according to a report read more
 "Fearing deportation after Canada immigration policy tweaks, Indian students protest against Trudeau govt")
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. File image/ Reuters
After Canada announced changes in the immigration policy, hundreds of India student graduates have been protesting against the Canadian government, fearing deportation from the country.
According to an NDTV report, the immigration policy tweaks have left the future of over 70,000 student graduates in uncertainty.
Indian students, who move to the North American country in the hope of building better lives, have been protesting outside the legislative assembly in Prince Edward Island for over three months. Similar demonstrations have been taking place in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia, added the report.
The new policies seek to cut permanent residency nominations by 25% and restrict study permits. This change follows rapid population growth in Canada, with immigration accounting for about 97% of last year’s population increase, according to the report, citing federal data.
Representatives from the Naujawan Support Network, a student advocacy group, have warned that graduates could face deportation when their work permits expire at the end of the year.
Facing a local housing and jobs crisis, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is under pressure to cut the number of temporary residents, as Trudeau trails in polls ahead of next year’s election.
The Canadian government is also scaling back its temporary foreign worker program, reversing its 2022 expansion. This program, designed to address labor shortages, saw a significant 88% increase in permits from 2019, with 183,820 issued in 2023.
The Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) criticized employers for using the program to avoid hiring Canadian talent. New changes will deny work permits in regions with unemployment rates at or above 6%, though agriculture, food processing, construction, and healthcare sectors are exempt.
“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,” Trudeau told reporters on Monday.
The government has also promised more measures to reduce the temporary resident population to 5 per cent 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.
With inputs from agencies
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