Canada students protest: Immigration officers conduct searches, checks at demonstration sites in Calgary
Students have also urged the authorities to reconsider their cases, citing they enrolled in and completed their programmes believing they were eligible for the permits.
PTC News Desk: Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) officers conducted searches at protest sites in Calgary where students have been holding demonstration.
The CBSA is responsible for enforcing immigration laws, investigating potential violations and carrying out removals across Canada.
Over 1,000 students, most of them from India, Punjab, are protesting on the streets and participating in a chain hunger strike for nearly 10 days after their Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applications were widely rejected.
Students have also urged the authorities to reconsider their cases, citing they enrolled in and completed their programmes believing they were eligible for the permits.
Why are students protesting ?
The students said they spent around C$32,000 (about Rs 20 lakh) on tuition for two-year programmes. They completed their studies believing that they would be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) in Canada. However, they now claim that their programmes are being classified as non-credit courses, which do not qualify for a PGWP.
The exact number of students affected is not yet known. However, students and reports from Calgary suggest that hundreds of graduates could be impacted, with around 480 students reportedly connected to the programmes in question. Students fear the number could increase as more applications are reviewed.
The protests gained momentum in July, with students demanding that their cases be reconsidered. They said they followed the available education route, completed their courses and spent a large amount of money on their studies.
The students argue that after completing their programmes, they should not be left without the work opportunity they expected to receive after graduation.