Hundreds of international students took to the streets in Calgary, Alberta, after their applications for Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) were refused. The protest, which began earlier in July, later expanded as more affected graduates joined the demonstrations. Some students also started a hunger strike to demand answers from Canadian immigration authorities. Many of the affected students were from India, reported Times of India and Canadian media outlet Juno News.
The dispute centres on graduates of programmes delivered through Portage College in partnership with private campuses in Calgary and Edmonton. Students said they invested thousands of dollars in tuition fees and living expenses because they expected to receive a PGWP after completing their studies, reported Times Of India. They said the work permit was a key reason for choosing Canada as it allowed international graduates to gain Canadian work experience and, in many cases, build a pathway towards permanent residency.
“We studied here, we deserve to work here,” some of the protesting students said during demonstrations in Calgary, according to The Times of India report. Several students also launched a hunger strike, saying they want Canadian authorities to review their cases after days of peaceful protests.
Why are students protesting?
The students said they enrolled in the programmes after believing they would qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit once they completed their studies. However, many later received rejection letters from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), leaving them unable to work in Canada after graduation.
Many graduates said they had already spent significant amounts on tuition, accommodation and other living costs before receiving the rejection letters, reported The Times of India.
Portage College issued a statement saying some graduates of certain non-credit programmes have received PGWP refusals. However, the college said it does not decide who receives a work permit. In the statement published on its official website, the college said IRCC alone assesses every application and determines eligibility. It also said it cannot overturn or change an immigration decision.
The college urged affected students to seek advice from an authorised immigration lawyer or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. It also asked students to keep copies of important documents, including study permits, transcripts, completion letters, PGWP applications and refusal letters, if they decide to pursue legal or immigration remedies. The institution said it continues to seek clarification from immigration authorities and has held meetings with student representatives.
The latest update from Portage College also said the closure of some former partner campuses in Calgary and Edmonton is unrelated to the current PGWP dispute. According to the college, those partnership arrangements had already been scheduled to end and should not be linked to the recent work permit refusals.
IRCC has not announced any new nationwide policy changing Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility. Instead, the department said it reviews every application individually under existing immigration rules. Separately, Canada’s immigration agency reminded international students that they must comply with employment rules while studying and warned that unauthorised work can affect future immigration applications, according to The Times of India report.
What should prospective students know?
India has remained Canada’s largest source of international students in recent years, according to official Canadian government data. Because of this, changes to international student policies, including rules related to Post-Graduation Work Permits, are closely followed by students and education institutions in both countries.
According to Portage College, PGWP eligibility is determined solely by IRCC, and completion of a programme does not automatically guarantee approval of a work permit. The college urged affected students to retain their immigration documents and consult authorised immigration professionals.
Admission to a recognised institution also does not automatically guarantee approval of a Post-Graduation Work Permit. IRCC reviews each application on its own merits, and the final decision rests with the immigration department. Portage College said college documents or completion letters do not guarantee any immigration outcome.
The protests also come after Canada introduced several changes to its international student and immigration policies over the past two years. However, IRCC has not linked the current dispute to any new nationwide change in PGWP rules.