International students in N.L. worry about stricter permits and tighter border laws
International students now required to do English test for work permit
International students are becoming increasingly worried about their status in Canada as post-graduate work permit (PGWP) requirements become stricter, and the prospect of tighter border laws hang over their heads.
It was a shock, said College of the North Atlantic film student Joy Abraham, that she would have to take an English language test in order to obtain a PGWP, since she already had to meet English proficiency requirements to enrol in the program.
"I did project assignments in English. I interacted with my instructors in English," said Abraham. "So, exactly why am I writing an English test?"
The test also costs over $300, and available dates are sparse, said Abraham.
Adding to her stress, Abraham said she didn't have the money for the test, and lives on a tight budget supported by her family.
She reached out to the Anti-Racism Coalition of Newfoundland and Labrador (ARC-NL), which raised the funds needed for the test.
WATCH | Students like Joy Abraham say changes to post-graduate work permits haven't been beneficial
Students in non-degree programs now must also complete programs that are linked to jobs with shortages like health care, education and the trades, to obtain the work permit.
Luckily, Abraham said, she applied before the new rule came into effect, but she doesn't understand why the government is tightening requirements.
"Are you trying to cut down on international students?" she said. "Why is it that once they've come to your shore, these changes are being made?"
Activists calling for end to policy changes
ARC-NL has been aware of the difficulties international students face, said project manager Dome Lombeida.
"Community aid helped in this one moment, but it's not the solution," said Lombeida. "The solution would be to stop these policy changes that keep dragging immigrants."
Lombeida said the prospect of Bill C-2, also known as the Strong Borders Act, is hanging over international students.
The proposed legislation is being debated in the House of Commons, and seeks to change a number of laws related to immigration and border controls.
The bill would increase powers to Canada's security and intelligence service, including giving police more lawful access to demand subscriber information from internet providers and online companies, something Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner called "snooping provisions."
It also would allow officials to cancel, suspend or change immigration documents, pause new applications and cancel applications that are in progress.
"I can't even imagine going through so much process to pay for the application and do all that documentation … for your application to suddenly be cancelled," said Lombeida.
The bill will make it so asylum claims have to happen within one year of being in Canada.
Sobia Shaikh, co-chair of ARC-NL, said that means students will be forced to return to dangerous situations in their home countries.
Shaikh fears the bill will create provisions necessary to allow mass deportations.
"It's not about borders. It's about human beings," said Shaikh. "We should be worried as Canadians."
Liberals defend measures
Meanwhile, Liberal MPs are defending the proposed bill, stating the system needs to be more efficient.
"There's a lot of applications in the system. We need to act fairly, and treat people appropriately who really do need to claim asylum and who really do need to be protected to stay in Canada," said federal Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree also argues that the bill is meant to keep Canadians safe, "by ensuring law enforcement has the right tools to keep our borders secure."
"It will … bolster our response to increasingly sophisticated criminal networks and enhance the integrity and fairness of our immigration system all the while protecting Canadians privacy and Charter rights," Anadasangaree said in the House of Commons last month.
Shaikh said she agrees the laws should be fair and appropriate, but Bill C-2 assumes that migrant people are unreliable and are applying under false pretenses.
"We know that that does happen, but it happens so rarely that we see actually the opposite happening where people are really scared for their lives and scared for their well-being," she said.
Shaikh and Lombeida say they want to see Bill C-2 stopped, and they're asking the public to sign the Migrant Rights Network petition.
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