Punjabi students protest in Canada after work permit rejection:Applicants claim family sold land to send us abroad; one couldn’t afford food rent

The government has rejected the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) for several students studying at Portage College in Canada. These students have been protesting for at least the past 3 weeks. While sharing statistics, students quoted the recent polls and claimed that fewer than 50 approvals have been received compared to 485 rejections. Whereas Portage College had promised at the time of admission that they would receive a PGWP and that their degree would be valid. Now, these students have spent huge sums of money on their studies in Canada, which seems to be wasted, and they are being told to go back home. Real-life experiences of students A female student from Punjab at the protest said that she has been struggling to pay rent and went hungry for three days. Her family sold land to fund her move to Canada, spending ₹22–25 lakh, but the money is now wasted. She said she does not know what to tell her in-laws or how to return home. She added that those who think life in Canada is easy should see the harsh reality faced by some students there. Another student said she could not return home for her grandfather’s funeral because of her work permit issue in Canada. Now her money has been wasted, and she does not know what to tell her family. She broke down in tears while speaking. Another student, who returned home a year ago after her father’s death, was denied a work permit by Canada’s immigration department on the grounds that she had not entered Canada in 2024. The protesting students have similar painful stories. Some are burdened with debt, while many are in depression because they cannot tell their parents. Students protesting on the streets shared their problems Who gets PGWP? PGWP is an open work permit allowing international students to work in Canada after graduation. To qualify: 1. Students must graduate from a PGWP-eligible Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
2. The course must be at least 8 months long.
3. Students must remain full-time throughout their studies.
4. Applications must be submitted within 180 days of graduation.
5. Applicants must have a valid study permit or legal temporary status when applying. Non-credit programs that don’t qualify for PGWP Credit programs lead to an official degree, diploma, or certificate, with credits counting toward the qualification. Non-credit programs are usually for personal development, language learning, skills training, or short-term vocational courses. Their credits do not count toward a main degree. Under Canadian immigration rules, non-credit programs are not eligible for a PGWP, so graduates of such courses cannot get a post-study work permit. Students can’t even hire a lawyer against the college Punjabi student Jashan Singh said that, “No one expected this. He had completed his 2-year diploma and came for a work permit, but due to recent rule changes, a large number of rejections have started coming in. His question is: if approval or rejection is being given, on what basis is it being given?” Jashan also said, “We also went to the main campus and discussed this issue, but no solution was found there. The college administration clearly stated that they could neither hire a lawyer nor provide any kind of help”. Couldn’t go to Punjab for grandfather’s death Punjabi student Jasmeet Kaur tearfully explained that she came to Algoma University 3 years ago, but due to high fees, she changed her course of study. She had inquired here about getting a PGWP after the course and that it had good future scope. After studying for 2 years, everything now seems useless. Jasmeet Kaur said, “My almost 32 thousand dollars have been lost. During this time, my grandfather passed away. If I had known earlier that all this was going to happen, I would have left everything and returned immediately, so that I could at least see my grandfather one last time. Now neither can he come back, nor can the money be recovered.” PGWP rejected despite evidence of promises Another student said their college had confirmed in writing that they were eligible for a PGWP. The college also issued a letter to support their work permit application, but IRCC is now rejecting it as invalid. The students began their studies in May 2023, and by the time the new rule took effect in November 2024, their studies were almost complete. Ashish said – MPs and MLAs should support the protest Student Ashish Boora said students gathered to demand justice after being asked to leave City Hall. He said many students are now on hunger strike, while others have gathered with posters asking motorists to honk in support. Ashish appealed to local MPs and MLAs to support the protest, saying it affects the entire community. He said their only demand is justice and fairness for all students. Other aspects of social and financial crisis for students in Punjab Sharing their ordeal, students said they are going through mental stress, anxiety, depression, and financial hardship. Their health cards and SIN (Social Insurance Number) have expired, preventing them from working. Students argue that if they break a rule, they are penalized or charged fees again. Now, when IRCC and the college are going back on their words and suddenly changing rules and making mistakes, why don’t they compensate the students for it? Former MP in Support of Students In the press conference, former Calgary MP and lawyer Devinder Shory, in support of the students, said that the Canadian government should adopt a humanitarian approach in its rules. Students were shown a path; they invested money and time, and when they reached near their destination, the ladder was pulled from under them, which is completely wrong. Major changes to Canada’s PGWP rules ​