Indian Students Protest in Canada Against Sudden Deportation Policy Change

Indian students in Canada facing deportation protest against the government, alleging that the policy was changed overnight.

Hundreds of Indian students in Canada are protesting against the government for changing policies overnight, denying them work permits.

Hundreds of Indian students in Canada's Prince Edward Island (PEI) region are staging protests, demanding authorities allow them to stay in the country. They claim that despite graduating, they are being denied work permits and now face deportation. They are threatening to go on a hunger strike if their demands are not met.

Students who have been in the country for over a year now claim the government changed the policy overnight. "They called us here, now they want us to leave,” protest leader Rupender Singh told the CBC. "Our province gave us false hopes," asserted Singh, who arrived in Canada from India in 2019.

"They were giving us wrong information. This is totally exploitation."

Video footage shows large groups of Indian students marching through the streets of Charlottetown, chanting for fairness and protesting against sudden policy changes. One protester highlighted the impact on both immigrants and locals, suggesting that without international graduates, locals might face delays in services like coffee at Tim Hortons.

“We only get a once-in-a-lifetime chance. We came to PEI because they made these rules that we can apply for PR after six months, one year. Yes, they will be affected, but the people of PEI will also be affected because now they’ll have to wait 20 minutes for a cup of coffee.”

Last July, PEI passed a law restricting postgraduate work permits to students with specific qualifications. They now only allow students with qualifications in construction/home-building and healthcare to obtain a permit, leaving many international students unable to continue working in Canada.

Protesting Indian students are demanding an extension of work permits and a review of the recent changes to immigration policies. They are requesting to be ‘grandfathered,’ which would exempt them from new regulations or policies based on their previous status or circumstances. This status acknowledges the rights of individuals who began their immigration process under different conditions and ensures they are not unfairly affected by subsequent changes in the law. Grandfathered status provides stability and fairness in immigration systems, allowing individuals to plan their lives with greater certainty.

As tensions escalate, the protests are gaining momentum, with hundreds joining in and receiving support from various communities. Employers and minority groups have rallied behind the cause, emphasizing the wider impact of these policy changes on the community as a whole. They've set a deadline for action, threatening a hunger strike if their demands aren't met by mid-May.