Calgary: More than 1,000 international students have been protesting on the streets of Calgary for the past 10 days after the Canadian government rejected their Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applications. The students allege they have been left in uncertainty after completing their studies.
The controversy centres on a Jalandhar-based immigration firm, whose owner is also a co-owner of the Canadian Institute of Osteopathic Therapy (CIOT). The institute operates as a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in partnership with Protege College under a public-private partnership model.
The affected students completed diploma programmes ranging from eight months to two years and applied for their post-graduation work permits after finishing their studies last year.
However, in mid-July, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rejected a large number of applications, stating that the students’ programmes were not approved, making them ineligible for PGWPs.
According to the report, the owner of the immigration firm is currently engaged in the real estate business in Dubai, while the students remain caught in the ongoing dispute.
The affected students have now sought judicial review of the IRCC decisions and have reached out to Canadian MP Sukh Dhaliwal and members of the Punjabi community for assistance.
If no relief is granted, many of the students say they may be forced to return to Punjab within the next 70 days, as their legal status in Canada is nearing expiry.
