Indian students in Canada gain support against immigration rule change

Indian students in Prince Edward Island (PEI) have been protesting against the changes to immigration rules by the Canadian province for the last two months. They’ve received backing from advocacy groups, as the province tries to shed its reputation as “an easy place to obtain permanent residency”.

Advocacy groups supporting immigrants and people of colour, such as the Cooper Institute and BIPOC USHR, held a press conference titled “Fair PNP Rules” on Wednesday, July 3. They urged the government to exempt foreign workers already in the province from these new rules, reported CBC News.

“It’s very chilling for the immigrant and racialised communities on PEI, so I think anyone and everyone should be standing up with them,” said Nouhad Mourad, a community relations coordinator with BIPOC-USHR.

BIPOC USHR, which stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour United for Strength, Home, Relationship, is a PEI-based not-for-profit organisation.

Mourad said that the foreign workers are being scapegoated for PEI’s housing crisis and healthcare shortages.

Mourad emphasised that this issue affects not just the Indian community but the broader immigration community, setting a dangerous precedent for policy changes.

Joe Byrne of the Cooper Institute also stressed the importance of continuing to push for government flexibility.

“We have to keep getting the message out because it’s so critical to the workers but also to our communities,” Byrne was quoted as saying by CBC News.

The protest, led by Rupinder Pal Singh, began in response to changes in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) rules announced in February, which aim to reduce the number of immigrants by 25% in 2024 due to pressures on PEI’s healthcare system and housing market.

Despite meetings with dozens of workers to help them find alternative pathways to stay in PEI, such as changing professions or exploring other programmes, Minister Jenn Redmond stated in late June that there would be no immediate changes to the policy.

A letter from the province’s office of immigration highlighted the rapid population growth in PEI and the overwhelming demand for permanent residency.

“As of May, more than 12,000 people have submitted an expression of interest in hopes of seeking permanent residency through PEI, but only 1,590 will be invited to apply. Our province has not promised or guaranteed permanent residency to anyone,” the letter stated, according to CBC News.

Singh reported that about 20 people have left the country due to expired work permits or lost hope of getting permanent residency. Others plan to transition to visitor status and continue protesting.

“We are not illegals looking for shelter. We are just hard workers asking [the government] to give us the right thing, what we deserve,” Singh emphasised, as reported by CBC News.