Work Permits

Hundreds of Indian students in Canada’s Prince Edward Island (PEI) are protesting against the government for a sudden policy change that denies them work permits and threatens deportation. The students, who graduated and have been in Canada for over a year, allege that the government changed the policy overnight, leaving them in a precarious situation. They have threatened to go on a hunger strike if their demands are not met. Protest leader Rupender Singh expressed frustration to the CBC, stating, “They called us here, now they want us to leave. Our province gave us false hopes.” Singh, who came to Canada in 2019, accused the province of providing misleading information, calling the situation “total exploitation.” Video footage shows large groups of Indian students marching through the streets of Charlottetown, chanting for fairness and protesting the sudden policy changes. One protestor noted the broader impact, suggesting that without international graduates, locals might face delays in services such as 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.” What Does Canada’s PEI Law State? Last July, PEI passed a law restricting postgraduate work permits to students with specific qualifications, allowing only those with construction/home-building and healthcare qualifications to obtain permits. This change has left many international students unable to continue working in Canada. Similar restrictions were imposed in Manitoba earlier this year, but after protests, the Trudeau government extended postgraduate work permits by two years. Now, students in PEI are demanding similar treatment. What Are the Protesting Indian Students Demanding? The students are demanding an extension of work permits and a review of the recent immigration policy changes. They seek to be “grandfathered” in, allowing them to be exempt from the new regulations based on their previous status or circumstances. This would enable them to proceed under the previous, less stringent criteria, ensuring stability and fairness in the immigration system. They have set a deadline for action, threatening a hunger strike if their demands are not met by mid-May. As tensions rise, the protests are growing, with hundreds joining in and gaining support from various communities. Employers and minority groups have backed the cause, highlighting the broader impact of these policy changes on the community as a whole.Top of Form