PROTEST ROCKS CANADA AS 70,000 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FACE DEPORTATION
Read Time:1 Minute, 37 Second
Foreign students are protesting in Canada after authorities announced plans to deport them as part of a new immigration policy.
They are putting pressure on the Justin Trudeau-led government to reverse its decision on the more restrictive opportunities for education and work permits.
According to the Canadian Embassy, Nigerians account for 15,000 of the total 70,000 international students enrolled in Canadian universities.
According to City News Toronto, roughly 70,000 foreign students are participating in provinces across the country, including Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
The work permit for international students under the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program will be eliminated in 2021, and the Canadian government implemented a two-year cap on international student visas last year.
Last year, overseas students made up 37% of study visa holders in Canada, adding to the already existing strains from the housing crisis, unemployment, and other services. The government anticipates that the cap on student visas will result in a 35% decrease in foreign student enrolment.
To solve this issue, the Canadian government stated in June that foreign nationals would no longer be able to apply for a post-graduate 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.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0