New Canadian regulations leave students in the lurch

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, January 24

In a move aimed at addressing the rising food cost and shortage of housing, the Canadian government has implemented stringent regulations, affecting international students.

The new rules, which include a 35 per cent cut in study visas and elimination of open work permits for spouses of undergraduate students, have sent shock waves among students aspiring to move to Canada.

Experts see silver lining in new rules

• Considering the growing craze among youngsters to move abroad as a potential threat to the state, experts and principals of local colleges see a silver lining in these regulations
• They anticipate that these measures will help deter contract marriages, often used by youngsters to relocate to Canada
• Local colleges and universities, which face challenges in admissions due to students opting to study abroad after Class XII, are expected to benefit

Immigration agents in the state have termed the regulations strictest in recent years, predicting a substantial adverse impact on their business. They said the repercussions were already visible with students’ interest in Canada decreasing. They said they feared a more pronounced effect after September 2024.

Sumit Jain, owner of an immigration firm in Jalandhar, highlighted the widespread ramifications these regulations would have. “Not only have students been affected, but even private institutions, especially those not in public-private partnerships, would face challenges. The removal of the postgraduate work permit for international students in such institutions is a significant blow,” he said.

He expressed concern over the new requirement for a letter of attestation from a Canadian province, stating that the process remained unclear, potentially limiting students’ choice of provinces. Another immigration agent, Vikas, emphasised that only genuine students with career aspirations would navigate the complex process, leaving those seeking easy entry to Canada struggling.

Manmeet Kaur, a 19-year-old from Jalandhar planning to move to Canada post-marriage, expressed disappointment. She said the new regulations had cast doubt on her plans for the September intake, leading her to consider alternative countries for studies.