Protests Erupt Across Canada As 70,000 Students From Nigeria, Other Countries Face Deportation Risk

Demonstrations are currently underway in Canada as approximately 70,000 international students face the threat of deportation from the country.

CityNews Toronto reports this figure was given by representatives of Naujawan Support Network, a student advocacy group, stating that more than 70,000 graduates are at risk of being deported when their work permits expire at the end of this year.

Recall that on Tuesday, the Trudeau administration announced that fewer temporary foreign workers will be allowed in Canada under tightened rules.

This administrative policy was announced by the Canadian government in January which would cut the number of new international student permits by 35% from the 2023 number effective September 1, 2024.

In May, the government said that beginning in September, international students would only be able to work off-campus for a maximum of 24 hours per week.

A group of students set up encampments outside the legislative assembly in Prince Edward Island on Tuesday, protesting overnight for more than three months. Media reports stated that similar demonstrations were witnessed in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.

The students are facing a critical situation as new provincial policies for a 25 per cent reduction in permanent residency nominations have left many unexpectedly vulnerable to deportation, according to the report.

Besides the protests against federal policy changes, hundreds of international students and immigrant workers also held rallies in the past few months throughout Brampton, pushing back against a narrative that blamed them for local housing and job crises, CityNews reported.

The International Sikh Student Organization said such problems are rooted in broader policy failures rather than the migration of international students.

The advocacy groups and students are calling on the federal government to extend work permits and provide clear pathways to permanent residency, emphasizing that they contribute significantly to the Canadian economy and deserve fair treatment, according to the report.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that the Canadian government would reduce the share of temporary foreign workers in the low-wage stream that employers can hire, as part of an effort to curb the surge in temporary immigration following the pandemic. The reduction will be at a level of 10 per cent of their total workforce, down from 20 per cent.

These changes, which will take effect on September 26, follow previous adjustments made in March and over the summer.

Moreover, the government will no longer process applications from employers in regions with an unemployment rate of 6 per cent or higher. The maximum time workers can be employed in the low-wage stream will also be cut to one year, down from two.