Canada Ends International Student PGWP Protest After Immigration Checks

A protest by international graduates challenging post-study work permit refusals has ended in Calgary, Canada, after immigration officers identified 12 attendees as “possibly inadmissible” to the country.

The northeast Calgary demonstration was attended largely by Indian graduates of Portage College-linked programs who say they paid substantial fees believing their courses qualified them for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which allows eligible graduates to work in Canada after their studies.

The protest, which included a hunger strike, was attended by around 20 students who had erected tents and other structures on city property. Calgary Police Service attended the site on August 12 following complaints that parts of the pavement were being blocked and pedestrians impeded.

Officers requested identification from the protesters and contacted the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) after concerns arose over the documents provided. CBSA was initially asked to verify four people but expanded its checks to 20 attendees after finding two were not compliant with their immigration status.

The agency identified 12 as “possibly inadmissible” under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and asked them to attend follow-up interviews. However, it has not disclosed whether the 12 attended the interviews or whether any enforcement orders have since been issued.

Calgary immigration lawyer Jatin Shory, who is representing around a dozen students challenging their PGWP refusals in federal court, told CBC that people found to be without status could be issued exclusion orders and required to leave Canada. An exclusion order generally prevents an individual from returning to the country for one year.

The Portage College student union estimates that around 1,500 graduates have been affected by refusals involving programs delivered through partnerships between the Alberta public college and private providers. The students claim that they were misled by the college and the Canadian government about the eligibility of their programs for PGWP.

In 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) restricted PGWP eligibility for students in programs delivered through public-private partnerships, bringing the original September 1 cutoff forward to May 15. Students who began such programs before May 15, 2024 could remain eligible, provided they met all other PGWP requirements.

However, IRCC refused the applications of many students who enrolled before the cutoff, stating that their programs were non-credit. The department maintains that the update clarified an existing requirement rather than introducing a new rule.

Students and their representatives dispute that account, arguing that previous guidance did not clearly exclude non-credit programs. Some had already enrolled, paid their fees and applied for work permits before the June update appeared.

Affected students paid between CAD$15,000 and CAD$25,000 for their education, with some relying on family savings, loans or money raised through property sales. Students also say they received written assurances from Portage College that those enrolled before May 15, 2024 would be eligible to apply.

The college said it was seeking clarification from the federal department, while emphasizing that it does not control immigration decisions. It encouraged affected graduates to consult licensed immigration lawyers or regulated advisers.

IRCC has urged prospective students to verify that both their institution and chosen program are PGWP-eligible, stressing that graduating from a designated learning institution does not automatically qualify them for the permit.

The Calgary demonstration follows repeated protests by international graduates as Canada has tightened its immigration system through study permit caps and changes to post-study work and permanent residence pathways.

In 2024, Indian graduates demonstrated after the government ended a temporary policy allowing certain PGWP holders to extend their permits by up to 18 months. The current dispute concerns graduates whose initial PGWP applications were refused, rather than people seeking extensions to existing permits.

Alberta premier Danielle Smith said international students whose visas had expired and who had not secured permanent residence should leave the country. “A student visa is a temporary document to study in Canada. That was always understood,” Smith said in a post on X. “Where there is room for international students, the terms are simple. Earn your education, then return home to build a life with it.”

| Program Type | Eligibility | | --- | --- | | Credit programs | Eligible | | Non-credit programs | Ineligible (except for certain flight-school courses) | | Programs delivered through public-private partnerships | Eligible (if started before May 15, 2024) |

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has not disclosed whether the 12 individuals identified as “possibly inadmissible” attended follow-up interviews or whether any enforcement orders have since been issued.