India-Canada standoff: Future uncertain, Punjabi students on tenterhooks

The tension in India-Canada ties has led to growing concern among Punjabis and the diaspora in the North American country. The immediate impact is being felt by students, both who are already in Canada and those in the process of heading abroad. The standoff comes in the backdrop of rising cost of living and shrinking jobs in Canada coupled with the tightening of work visa norms by the host country.

Harleen Kaur, 24, from Jalandhar was looking forward to pursuing a management programme in a Canadian institute and eventually settling down there but the ongoing strain in diplomatic ties between Canada and India has put her plans in jeopardy.

Canada has been witnessing protests by students in several provinces, seeking relaxation in immigration policies. (Sourced)

Like Harleen, who has applied for the January intake, hundreds of aspirants from the Doaba region, called Punjab’s NRI belt, are left with unanswered questions on the impact on student visas. They have been queuing up at local immigration offices for information.

Canada has remained the top choice for Punjabi youngsters due to its flexible education policy, work opportunities, easier post-graduation immigration possibilities and because of the large Punjabi population there with a political say. The route to first study in Canada and then become a permanent resident (PR) is the most popular.

According to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the country welcomed 6,82,060 international students of which India constituted the largest national cohort, comprising 40.7% of the 2,78,250 study permits issued in 2023. In 2022, as many as 5,51,405 new international students reached Canada of which 2,26,450 (41%) were from India.

At present, nearly six lakh students are on study permit in Canada.

Changing dynamics

Komalpreet Kaur, 21, from Kapurthala says going to Canada on study visa is getting tougher by the year. “Due to the changing dynamics between both nations, my father has convinced me to apply for higher education courses in either Australia or New Zealand,” she says. Her brother is already in Canada on a study permit since 2022.

Sumit Jain, the owner of a Jalandhar-based overseas placement centre, says the strain in ties between India and Canada is a cause of worry among those who want to apply for Canadian student and visitor visas. “Though there is no clarity on the delay in issuing of visas due to suspension of Canadian diplomats, we are getting queries in huge numbers related to it. Fake information on social media is keeping aspirants on tenterhooks,” Jain says.

Harsimran Singh Kahlon, an Amritsar-based consultant, says business slowed down due to immigration restrictions ever since the Canadian authorities came up with stricter norms in May, but the ongoing tussle has added to concerns of visa applicants, particularly students.

Stricter norms

From November 1, it’s going to be a double whammy for aspirants as the IRCC has come up with stringent immigration policies and norms for student permits. The Canadian authorities have made changes in post-graduate work permits, mandatory language proficiency test, open spouse visas and increased the guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) amount.

Jain says the Canadian immigration business, specifically student visas have already come down by 30% due to changes in the immigration services and it will further come down to 10% due to the tussle between the countries. “We are hopeful that business will improve in coming months. At present, study visas are being issued on time, but there is a delay in issuing visitor visas,” he adds.

Amid housing, resource and infrastructure concerns, the IRCC has introduced a two-year cap on study permits, reducing the number of international student permits by 35% in 2024. It aims to lower the student visas by 10% in 2025.

From November 1, international students from Canadian universities applying for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) will have to attain Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 7, while college students will have to get CLB 6 for their work permits.

There are major changes in the issuing of work permits, too.

Canada has been witnessing protests by students in several provinces, seeking relaxation in immigration policies. Videos of students making emotional appeals to the Canadian authorities are also being shared on social media.

Canada has doubled the GIC limit from 10,000 Canadian dollars to 20,635 Canadian dollars for students applying for student permits in 2024.

The IRCC has said open work permits will only be allowed to spouse of international students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programmes and those enrolled in professional programmes, such as medicine and law or others having enrolled in a minimum of 16 months’ academic course.

Queries from those aspiring to take admissions in graduate programmes have drastically come down after the IRCC directions. “Students with a strong academic base and those seeking admission in postgraduate or doctorate courses are getting permits without delay and hitches,” Kahlon says.

Preferred destination

According to a study, Beyond Beds and Boundaries: Indian Student Mobility Report, 2023-24, carried out by a private organisation, University Living: “Indian students are Canada’s largest international student group, comprising 35% of all foreign students. The Indian students collectively spent $11.7 billion while pursuing higher education in Canada during the last academic year, with average expenditure of $39,000 per student annually.”

Canada, the US, Australia and the UK are preferable countries for higher education. Even in 2020, a year hit by Covid-19, India contributed the highest number of foreign students with 1,80,383 (34%) study visas of the 5,30,540 visas granted.