Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government allowed about 50,000 foreign students to stay for 18 months after graduation to seek employment, during a time when the economy was reopening from Covid shutdowns and companies needed to hire
Some foreign students have accused the Canadian government of using them as a cheap source of labour and discarding them once they were no longer needed, reported ndtv.
Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government allowed about 50,000 foreign students to stay for 18 months after graduation to seek employment, during a time when the economy was reopening from Covid shutdowns and companies needed to hire.
The government sold the permit extension as a way to “help more graduates fill pressing needs” in key sectors and allow them to gain the work experience needed to immigrate permanently. But a year and half later, some of these permanent-resident hopefuls were left without status to work or remain in the country.
Like many graduates who were part of the 2021 programme, D’Souza’s career is now paused and his future uncertain. These former students — many from India and the Philippines — had to leave their jobs when their work permits expired with no guarantee they’ll gain permanent residency. Even if their applications are eventually successful, they face months in limbo with no job, income, or health and social benefits
“I’m basically sitting at home and living off of my savings and not knowing how long I’d have to do that,” Daniel D’Souza, an accountant and former student at Seneca College near Toronto, said in an interview. “I regret choosing Canada as a country to immigrate to, to study and to live in. Canada should appreciate foreign students more, not just use them as a form of cheap labour.”
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser’s department said it was considering ways to better support those who want to settle in the country permanently. The government “recognizes the tremendous social, cultural and economic benefits” that foreign students bring, spokesperson Jeffrey MacDonald said in an emailed statement.
Like many graduates who were part of the 2021 programme, D’Souza’s career is now paused and his future uncertain. These former students — many from India and the Philippines — had to leave their jobs when their work permits expired with no guarantee they’ll gain permanent residency. Even if their applications are eventually successful, they face months in limbo with no job, income, or health and social benefits.
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