70,000 international student graduates at risk of deportation as Canada tightens policies
Indian students protest
New Delhi: Students who came to Canada with aspirations of building a new life are now staging protests across the country against a new federal policy that puts them at risk of getting deported from the country.
Scores of Indian student graduates have led demonstrations in response to the Justin Trudeau government’s decision to limit study permits and reduce permanent residency nominations. Protests have been ongoing for more than three months in front of the legislative assembly in Prince Edward Island (PEI) by international students, and similar demonstrations have occurred in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.
The new policies aim to cut permanent residency nominations by 25% and restrict study permits. This shift follows significant population growth in Canada, with immigration accounting for about 97% of last year’s population increase, according to federal data cited by NDTV.
“I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada,” Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student who is facing deportation, told City News Toronto. Despite studying, working, paying taxes, and earning sufficient Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, Singh feels the government has taken advantage of students like him. He, along with others who invested their family’s savings in tuition, now face the uncertainty of an expiring work permit and no clear path to permanent residency.
Students and advocacy groups, such as the International Sikh Student Organization, pointed out that these issues stem from broader policy failures rather than the migration of international students, as mentioned by the news outlet. They are urging the federal government to extend work permits and create clear pathways to permanent residency, stressing that international students significantly contribute to the Canadian economy and deserve fair treatment.
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Air India Express increases flight operations from NE destinations
Guwahati (PTI): Low-cost airline Air India Express has announced an increase in flight operations from three major destinations in the northeast – Guwahati, Agartala and Imphal – as part of its winter schedule.
This is part of the airlines’ expansion of winter services across the country, it said in a statement here.
Air India Express has increased its operations to 106 weekly flights from 63 last winter, from Guwahati.
It provides direct connectivity to eight domestic destinations of Agartala, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur and Kolkata. The airline also provides one-stop connectivity to 18 domestic destinations and six international destinations from Guwahati.
In Imphal, the airline hiked its weekly flights to 34 this season, an addition of 20 over last winter, the statement said.
Since adding Agartala as a station in September 2024, the airline has increased its flights from 14 to 21 weekly, and connects two destinations – Guwahati and Kolkata – directly.
It also offers one-stop connectivity from Agartala to 11 domestic destinations.
“The expansion not only facilitates easier travel for those wishing to explore North East, but also strengthens Guwahati’s role as a vital link with the rest of the country,” Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Ankur Garg said.
“With our fleet now exceeding 90 aircraft and rapidly growing, we are well-positioned to support the evolving needs of emerging Indian cities,” he added.
