The sixth river of drugs flowing in the state and the unemployment crisis have been a major concern for the youth of Punjab for the last two decades, leaving their homeland and reaching Canada and America through various types of visas. More than 25 lakh youth of Punjab have left their homeland and are working hard for a bright future abroad by getting study visas and work visas. Along with this, lakhs of youth who were a little backward in education were illegally sent abroad by cheating agents by showing such dreams, in which lakhs of youth spent 30 lakh to 70 lakh rupees by selling their lands, properties and other assets to reach America.
After the coup in America and Donald Trump assumed office as the President of the United States, lists of people living illegally in America were started. According to media reports, more than 1.5 million people are living illegally in America, out of which 2.5 million are from Mexico, 38,677 from Brazil, 37,908 from China, 17,940 from India, 7,760 from Pakistan, 2,618 from Iran, and 4,837 from Bangladesh. A large number of the 17,940 people from India are said to be Punjabis. After the US government’s strict action, these people have started being sent back to their country. Out of which 104 Indians were landed at Amritsar airport by a US military plane last week. Out of these, 30 were Punjabis. The US has now prepared to deport 487 more Indians. Meanwhile, India has expressed concern about the possibility of any kind of mistreatment of illegal Indians.
After deporting illegal immigrants, the Indian government has issued a serious warning. These immigrants will no longer be allowed to travel to 20 countries, including the US, even on valid documents. Biometric scans of all of them have been taken and in the future, if these people apply for a visa to any country, they will be rejected. It is worth mentioning that these countries follow the visa policy of the US, which includes Canada, New Zealand, Australia, UK and other countries.
For two decades, the third generation parents of Punjab were forced to sell their lands, properties and jewelry, etc. to save themselves from getting caught in the clutches of drugs and send their young children to study abroad after getting their 12th pass. The Trudeau government of Canada has brought such a sudden change in its immigration policies that the dreams of more than 1 million students from Punjab, who were dreaming of completing their studies abroad and settling down, have been shattered. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, about 50,000 and 19,582 Indian-origin students from almost all over the world have gone missing from Canadian colleges and universities. These students have not been seen in colleges or universities for a long time. It is worth remembering that for some time now, the Canadian government has also stopped accepting applications from those claiming refugee status.
It is worth mentioning that the work visas of more than 1 million students studying in Canada are going to expire by the end of 2025, who have started worrying about their future, due to which a large number of students are suffering from depression. Due to this situation, students in Canada are also having to resort to drugs. The strict policies of the Canadian government for students have created such a frightening atmosphere that there are reports of a large number of students facing stress in Canada dying of heart attacks. At the moment, these are just estimates as to how many students the government there can deport. Those whose work permits have expired have no hope of getting a work permit in the future. At the moment, only the study visa of class 12 students has been closed. These visas are open for those with bachelor’s, master’s degrees and PhD. Those with PhD and master’s degrees are also getting work permits. They may have been banned for a short time by voting recently, but there is definitely hope for those people to get a work permit. Students who follow the rules are also getting PR, but there is a danger for students who do not attend classes or there is no hope of getting a work permit again if the work permit expires. Many students have now also filed refugee cases. It is wrong to think that immigration rules will be relaxed after the federal elections in Canada next year. This Liberal government has to make such rules and it can continue like this till 2027. Those who still have a work permit till 2027 or any special skills are not in any danger.
After 2025, if the Canadian government also adopts a stance like the US, then more than 1 million students of Punjab studying in Canada will be forced to return to the state after the expiry of their visas, which can destroy the future of this third most talented generation of the state, due to which the number of unemployed youth in the state will increase so much that the state government will be unable to handle this situation, which can lead to a terrible situation in Punjab. Before such a situation arises, there is a great need for the MPs of all political parties of the Punjab government to meet with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discuss the advance arrangements to deal with this situation.
The situation of international students in Canada is very
