With Canada introducing a new rule to restrict the number of students staying back in the country for work after their studies, thousands of students from Gujarat planning for the same will be affected.
From May 15 this year, international graduates of Canadian college programmes delivered through a public-private curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer qualify for post-graduation work permits (PGWP).
The move is likely to impact about 10,000-odd students enrolling from Gujarat, a vast majority of whom work while studying in order to pay off their education loans.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has also put up a list of universities and institutes eligible for PGWP.
Gujarat sends about 15% of the Indian students to Canada, accounting for 35,000-40,000 students annually. Along with Punjab, it forms one of the biggest student pools in Canada.
For the September intake, the number is likely to be halved with the chances of employment and permanent residence getting bleaker.
With Canada setting a cap of 3.64 lakh study permits, the September intake may see about 1.45 lakh students from India – if Indians continue to account for 40% of the total number as is usually seen – and about 22,000 from Gujarat.
Cananda will focus on skilled workforce and niche educational courses. So those who opt for STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) and medical courses are likely to stand a better chance. Compared to about 60% success rate of visa issuance, this year we may see a reduction in the application acceptance rate, especially for populous provinces.
With the year of many changes for international students, the Gujarati community has been through an emotional roller-coaster ride with many students not finding their foothold in the foreign land. They are returning home with hopes that they might see a better day, and fear that the aura around their ‘foreign return’ tag may get tarnished. The community has thus reached out to many student groups and has been extending the basic help and support system.
While the housing crisis is a major concern for the new students, the rising cost of living is for the mid-level students, and bleak chances at permanent residentship (PR) are for those at the end of their studies.
The initial idea for any student is to go to MTV – Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver – where there is a thriving Indian community, easy availability of Indian food, and reputed colleges. However, with the cap on international students by the province, the students may not get a location of their choice. Atlantic Canada or eastern provinces such as New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia may get more students this year,” he said.
Experts and students both stressed good research rather than just going by the word of the counsellors or even peers. “Read as much as you can, understand the laws related to studies and work, and try to create a peer group before and after you come,” said Sailesh Patel, an engineering student in Victoria.
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