In Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, hundreds of Indian students are confronting deportation due to sudden changes in the province’s immigration rules. The alterations have spurred protests, with around 300 students threatening a hunger strike if the policy is not reconsidered.
The provincial government of PEI adjusted its Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP) rules to reduce immigration, citing strains on healthcare and housing infrastructure. Although these changes are described as temporary, the province has not specified a timeline for their reversal.
The affected Indian students, despite having graduated, are now facing deportation. They accuse the PEI government of abruptly changing the rules and denying them work permits. Their protests began on May 9 with about 25 participants and have since grown significantly.
Rupinder Pal Singh, a leader of the protest who moved to Canada in 2023, outlined their demands. “First, we want to be grandfathered into the PNP system because we were already here on valid work permits before the new rules. It is only fair that those present before the changes continue under the old system,” Singh stated.
“Secondly, we call for fair PNP draws without a point system. Recently, sectors like sales, services, food, and even trucking have been excluded from PNP draws. Despite our hard work, we deserve the same opportunities as other sectors. The current point system, requiring 65 points, is nearly impossible for those under 25 to achieve,” he added.
“Lastly, we demand an extension of our work permits. Due to the government’s changes and economic issues, our work permits were wasted, leading many of us to lose our jobs. It is only fair that our work permits be renewed to compensate for the lost time and opportunities,” Singh concluded.
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The Indian students are particularly upset about PEI’s decision to reduce the number of nominees for permanent residency by 25% in 2024, announced in February. This decision was partly due to pressures on the province’s healthcare system and housing market.
In July of the previous year, PEI passed a law restricting postgraduate work permits to students with specific qualifications, limiting them to those in construction, home-building, and healthcare. The new population strategy prioritizes these occupations, leaving many in other fields, such as retail and service, at risk of not having their work permits extended.
Rupinder Pal Singh has accused the PEI government of exploiting immigrants and providing false information. He warned that if their demands are not met, the protests will escalate to a hunger strike.
The PEI government maintains that these immigration changes are temporary but has not provided a clear timeline for when they will be reversed. Videos of the protests, shared on social media, show students holding placards with messages such as “Unfair Rules No Discrimination,” “We want to live in PEI but you want us to leave,” “We need to be grandfathered,” and “Need Work Permit Extension.”
