International
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Thousands
of
Indian
students
and
workers
residing
in
Canada
are
likely
to
be
impacted
after
the
Canadian
Government
has
announced
to
update
its
immigration
policy.
The
new
rules
and
regulations
grant
Canadian
border
officials
the
authority
to
modify
visa
statuses
for
students,
workers,
and
migrants
as
they
see
fit.
Under
the
new
Immigration
and
Refugee
Protection
Regulations,
border
officers
can
now
refuse
or
revoke
temporary
resident
documents
like
electronic
travel
authorisations
(eTAs)
and
temporary
resident
visas
(TRVs).
This
includes
work
permits
and
student
visas.
Officers
have
the
discretion
to
reject
entry
if
they
believe
an
individual
won’t
leave
Canada
after
their
authorised
stay
ends.
Impact
on
Indian
Nationals
Canada
is
a
top
choice
for
Indian
students
and
workers.
Currently,
over
420,000
Indian
nationals
are
pursuing
higher
education
in
Canada.
The
new
rules
introduce
uncertainty
for
these
individuals.
If
a
permit
is
cancelled
while
someone
is
in
Canada,
they
will
receive
a
notice
to
leave
by
a
specified
date.
The
changes
also
affect
tourists
from
India.
In
the
first
half
of
2024
alone,
Canada
issued
travel
visas
to
more
than
360,000
Indians.
In
2023,
340,000
Indian
tourists
visited
in
the
same
period.
All
these
visitors
hold
temporary
permits
with
varying
durations.
Notification
Process
Affected
individuals
will
be
informed
via
email
and
their
IRCC
account
by
Immigration,
Refugees
and
Citizenship
Canada.
However,
there
is
no
clarity
on
refunds
for
expenses
like
education
fees
or
loans
if
permits
are
suddenly
revoked.
In
November
2024,
Canada
ended
the
Student
Direct
Stream
(SDS)
visa
program.
This
was
a
popular
option
for
Indian
students
who
could
pay
upfront
to
secure
their
education
in
Canada.
The
closure
of
this
program
adds
another
layer
of
complexity
for
prospective
students
from
India.
If
someone
is
denied
entry
at
the
port
or
has
their
permit
cancelled
while
in
Canada,
they
must
return
home
immediately.
This
situation
poses
challenges
for
those
who
have
invested
heavily
in
their
stay
abroad.
