A group of migrant workers in Canada on the brink of illegally overstaying their welcome have gathered for a press conference to demand that they remain in the country.
Just weeks after embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the government would be cracking down on immigration, members of the Naujawan Support Network shared a video insisting they will not back down.
The group – which is made up of people from South Asian countries – are brazenly fighting against ‘unfair immigration policies’ after being ‘exploited’ by being granted work visas in Canada.
Members of the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) group within the network have been sitting out in an encampment 24-hours a day for 143 days to ‘protest against Canada’s exploitative immigration policies.’
The group took to social media on Monday to share that the PGWP committee made the ‘difficult decision’ to shut down the encampment in Brampton due to Trudeau’s resignation and the suspension of the country’s parliament until March.
Despite closing the door on the encampment and many of their visas expiring, the group said they are ‘shifting their strategy’, but their ‘fight is far from over.’
Once their visas end and a 90-day grace period is over, they will be classed as illegal immigrants in Canada.
‘We are changing the strategy for our protest. While we are changing the strategy, and we are no longer going to hold a 24/7 encampment, we want to remind you that our fight is far from over,’ one unnamed woman with the group said as her peers gathered around.
Members of the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) group within the Naujawan Support Network shared a video announcing that they will close their 24/7 encampment to focus on obtaining work visa extensions for its members
The group said the PGWP committee made the ‘difficult decision’ to shut down the encampment in Brampton due to Trudeau’s resignation and the suspension of the country’s parliament until March. (Pictured: Justin Trudeau on Tuesday)
‘We are just changing our methods. We will continue to fight against unfair immigration policies.
‘Our whole PGWT committee team is committed for this cause and we will keep fighting until all our demands are met,’ she continued, adding that they will now be focusing more on obtaining work permit extensions for international students and immigrant workers.
‘At this point, we believe that we are spending a lot of energy and resources to maintain this 24/7 encampment,’ she continued, adding that they know it’s ‘going to be a long fight.’
‘We believe we need to work in the background a lot to mobilize,’ the woman added.
The reason for protesting in the first place, according to the group, is because the country ‘has long marketed itself as a land of opportunity for international studies,’ but in recent times, that has changed.
‘Many of us have been caught in a system that is designed to make colleges rich, while leaving international students in a difficult situation,’ the group said on its GoFundMe page that has raised more than $14,700 CAD ($10,230 USD).
The group has demanded ‘fair and transparent immigration pathways’ from the country, ‘extensions of work permits for PGWP holders’ that have either expired or about to, a five-year work permit for international students ‘to give us a real chance to succeed,’ and for the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) ‘exploitation’ to end.
Before Trudeau dramatically announced his resignation on January 6 – just days before President Donald Trump entered office – he announced a crackdown on immigration in the country.
Canada’s newly appointed Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced on December 17 that the $1.3 billion CAD ($930m USD) slate of new measures ‘will secure our border against the flow of illegal drugs and irregular migration.’
The new measures will include 24/7 surveillance of the border using ‘helicopters, drones and mobile surveillance towers’, and upgraded detection tools to catch drugs slipping over the border.
The legislation is based on five pillars: Slowing the trade of fentanyl, improving border patrols’ coordination, providing new tools for law enforcement, easing information sharing among departments and slowing migrant crossings, reports TNC.
The reason for protesting in the first place, according to the group, it because the country ‘has long marketed itself as a land of opportunity for international studies,’ but in recent times, that has changed
The group has demanded a five-year work permit for international students ‘to give us a real chance to succeed,’ among other requests
Trudeau was previously famed for his progressive policies and urged migrants to flock to Canada – but has changed his tune in recent weeks as his polls tanked.
It came weeks after Trump threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on all imports from Canada, citing Trudeau’s struggles in ensuring border security.
Less than a month later, Trudeau announced that he would be stepping down as Prime Minister capping a spectacular fall from grace for the liberal standard-bearer.
In emotional remarks Trudeau said: ‘Last night over dinner I told my kids about the decision that I’m sharing with you today. I intend to resign as party leader, as Prime Minister.’
The scion of one of Canada’s most famous political families had become deeply unpopular in recent years over a range of issues including the soaring cost of food and housing, and surging immigration.
Despite closing the door on the encampment and many of their visas expiring, the group said they are ‘shifting their strategy’ and there ‘fight is far from over’
Trump has repeatedly mocked the Canadian leader by suggesting his country would be better off as the 51st U.S. state.
The day after Trump took to social media to announce that he would introduce the new tariff on goods from Canada, Trudeau immediately flew down to Mar-a-Lago to do damage control.
During that meeting, reports emerged detailing how Trudeau pleaded with Trump not to impose the tariffs and claimed it would kill Canada’s economy.
The reason Trump wants to impose tariffs on Canada is to pressure Ottawa to do more to secure the border and stop leaking illegal immigrants into the U.S.
Trump took credit for the resignation, claiming he approach to dealing with Canada is what led to Trudeau’s move.
Before Trudeau dramatically announced his resignation on January 6, announced a crackdown on immigration in Canada. He also met with President Donald Trump, who threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on all imports from the country to the US
‘The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat,’ he wrote on Truth Social. ‘Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned.’
During his remarks, delivered in both English and French, at the Rideau Cottage residence in Ottawa, Trudeau said: ‘I intend to resign as Party Leader, as Prime Minister, after the Party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide, competitive process.’
Trudeau will remain in power until his party selects a new leader, which they will need to do before general elections in the fall, which polls indicate conservatives will win with Pierre Poilievre as their leader.
The father-of-three served as Prime Minister since November 2015 and resided at Rideau Cottage with his family. He and wife Sophie announced in August 2023 their separation.
