Bathinda: On the completion of one-and-a-half months of their protests for extension of postgraduate work permits (PGWP) to avoid deportation from Canada, PGWP holders on Sunday held a second rally at Brampton.
The first rally was held on Sept 28 at the end of 1 month of protests.
The youth are up in arms against the Canadian govt decision to reduce the number of study permits for international students and tighten the eligibility for obtaining work permits to cut down the size of temporary residents.The protesters had asked community members, mainly from Punjab, to support their cause and participate in the rally.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sept 19 had announced that the govt has decided to grant 35% fewer international student permits this year and the number would drop by another 10% in 2025. “Immigration is an advantage for the economy — but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, the govt cracks down. The govt is reducing the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers and shortening the duration of their work terms,” Trudeau had said.
The Canadian authorities are expected to reduce the number of study permits for international students to 4.37 lakh in 2025 from 5.09 lakh in 2023. According to reports, PGWPs are to be reduced by nearly 1.75 lakh in the next 3 years by introducing curbs and even spouse work permits are to be cut.
Punjabis, who are facing the heat over certain curbs being laid down by the Canadian authorities, are further expected to be impacted over the announcements.
The protesters are demanding an extension to the PGWPs expiring in 2024 and 2025 and increase of the time period of PGWP to 5 years from up to 3 years after completing their studies.
The protest is being undertaken with support from Naujawan Support Network (NSN), a group of youngsters working to stop exploitation of international students and workers.
Activists Bikram Singh Kullewal and Mehakdeep Singh, who originally hails from Mansa district in Punjab from NSN, said, “They are into day-night protests at Brampton from Aug 30. We want the PGWPs to be extended to stop probable deportation if our work permits expiring in 2024 and 2025 are not extended.”
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