Indian student protests have erupted across Canada, with some demanding their failed grades be reversed and others upset over immigration policy changes they fear could result in mass deportations.
Demonstrations spread from Prince Edward Island where they began in May over a provincial policy reducing permanent residency nominations by 25%, to Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba after the Trudeau government tightened rules on temporary foreign workers earlier this week.
Left-wing Indian student advocacy group Naujawan Support Network which is organising some of the protests and describes Canada as “stolen land”, says the changes mean 70,000 international students face deportation when their work permits expire at the end of this year.
There are now 2.8 million Indians residing in Canada, according in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, including 319,000 international students who arrived in 2023 alone, making up 37% of study visas issued that year.
On Tuesday about 200 students protested at Ace Acumen Academy at St Clair College in Brampton, Ontario, a majority immigrant city where Indians make up 27.7% of the population, over being given failing grades.
#BREAKING Some 200 students at St. Clair College (Ace Acumen Academy in Brampton ON) are protesting over failed grades and asking the Punjabi community for support.
ENGLISH translation of the video below, from someone who understands it (not me)
(🧵1/5) pic.twitter.com/rEvmWGEKrh— sammy (@sammy_canada) August 26, 2024
“Greetings everyone. We, students at St. Clair College just received the results [of our exams]. The College has failed us for no reason. Many of us failed. We will not tolerate this and are starting our protest,” one of the organisers said in a speech which was translated on X.
“We cannot do the subject again as we do not have time. We request you to stand by us! If you stand by us today, we will stand by you tomorrow. So please reach to St Clair College to support our protest.”
A similar protest took place in January at the Brampton campus of Algoma University after students were given failing grade in a computer science course, resulting in dozens being allowed to pass. The university claimed the changes were made as result of a review, not due to the protests.
At other protests in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Toronto, students demanded the government increase the number of Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) slots for permanent residency.
“I spent six years taking risks to come to Canada. I studied, worked, paid taxes, and earned enough Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, but the government has taken advantage of us,” Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student, told City News Toronto.
Some protesters held up anti-Canadian signs saying “no-one is illegal on stolen land”, “stop scapegoating immigrants” and “stop hate and racism”.
Others chanted slogans “don’t blame us, fix your system” and “good enough to work, good enough to stay” and demonstrators said they felt they were being treated unfairly.
Satnam Gill, a post-graduate student protester who plans to apply for permanent residency, told CBC News he was worried about not being qualifying for an extension to his work permit, and fears being deported.
“It impacts me both professionally and mentally,” he said.
