Danielle Smith, the Premier of Canada’s Alberta province, has reiterated that international students who come to the country on student visas are there on a temporary document, for their education, after which they will have to leave.
Speaking about the protests by some international students, mostly from India, who studied at Portage College, seeking post-graduation work permits (PGWPs), Smith said Portage may have overstated the pathway to permanent residency.
“I think perhaps Portage maybe overstated the pathway to permanent residency. But our view is that if you come here as an international student and your visa expires, and you don’t have permanent residency, you need to go home," she said.
Several students of Portage College have alleged that their post-immigration PGWPs applications have been denied by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), stating that their business management programs are non-credit and ineligible for permanent residency.
‘Alberta collages were built for Alberta students’
“A student visa is a temporary document to study in Canada. That was always understood,” Smith said in a post on Instagram.
“Our universities and colleges were built by Alberta taxpayers, first and foremost for Alberta students. Where there is room for international students, the terms are simple. Earn your education, then return home to build a life with it,” she added.
Smith also noted that Canada should have a fair and rule-based immigration system.
“Rules are what make a fair system fair and our country needs to return to an immigration process that respects the rules,” she said.
Canada's diploma mills
Over the years, Canada, which is one of the most preferred destinations for international students, has seen the rise of diploma mills, where fake or unaccredited schools issue student visas and issue diplomas and academic degrees for money without requiring real study, classes, or tests.
International students who often pay a fortune for these diplomas are lured with promises of work permits and permanent residency. Only after their permanent residency applications are rejected by the IRCC, most of these students realize that they have been duped.
What Portage College said
In a statement to CBC News, Jaime Davies, a spokesperson for Portage College, said the college is aware that some international graduate students had their permits denied and is seeking clarification, but added that PGWP applications are “assessed and decided solely by the IRCC.”
“We remain committed to providing factual information and responding to graduate inquiries that are within the college's role and keeping graduates informed as new information becomes available,” Davies said.
