Protest in Canada as 70,000 international students face deportation

Foreign students are protesting in Canada, following plans by the authorities to deport them on account of a new policy on immigration.

They are mounting pressure on the Justin Trudeau-led government to rescind its decision on the comparative restrictive opportunities for education and work permit.

No fewer than 15,000 of the total 70,000 foreign students are Nigerians studying in various Canadian universities, according to the Canadian Embassy.

A report by City News Toronto stated that approximately 70,000 foreign students are participating in the nationwide across provinces, including Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.

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

Last year, 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.

Amid the protests, representatives from the student advocacy group, the Naujawan Support Network, have warned that many graduates could face deportation, following the expiration of their work permits at the end of the year.

The situation has worsened with new provincial policies that have introduced a 25 per cent 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 (CRS) points, but the government has taken advantage of us,” Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student facing deportation, told City News Toronto.

Similarly, immigrant workers have staged rallies in recent months throughout Brampton, rejecting the claims that they are to blame for local housing and job crises.