International students have started protesting against the Canadian government as they face the risk of getting deported to their respective countries. Out of 70,000 international students, around 35,000 students belong to India. This issue has occurred due to recent changes in federal immigration policies of Canada. The change in the federal immigration policies of the country aims to reduce the number of permanent residency nominations by 25 percent as well as limit study permits.
This change in the policy was introduced as the country observed rapid population growth over the last few years. According to the Federal data, almost around 97 percent of last year's population increase in Canada was due to immigration. The rising number of international students in the country has also put significant pressure on Canada’s housing, healthcare, and other services.
In the context of the changes made in federal immigration policies, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said "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."
According to India's Ministry of External Affairs report, about 2.8 million Indians, including 1.8 million people of Indian-origin reside in Canada. Indian students are protesting in Canada and are demanding the Canadian government to change the policy in order to accommodate them.
"I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada. For the past six years, I studied, I worked, I paid taxes, I earned enough CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points but the government has just taken advantage of us," said Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student who is facing the risk of deportation.
The fear of being deported has forced the international students to protest against the Canadian government. These students are setting up encampments and organising rallies in various provinces, including Prince Edward Island (PEI), Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia. At their protest rally, students chanted slogans like “Good enough to work, good enough to stay” and “Don’t blame us, fix your system".
These international students are determined to stay in Canada, the country where they see their bright future. However, without any significant changes in the immigration system, the students fear that they will be forced to leave the country and hence, they continue their protest against the government.