New immigration rules raise fears that northern B.C. will lose foreign students, workers

For years, international students have made up a large portion of the student body at the College of New Caledonia in Prince George, B.C.

But under Canada's tightening immigration policies, many on campus are now questioning their decision to come north — and local businesses and community leaders are worried about a knock-on effect on the workforce.

Holiness Ozumba, who is from Nigeria, came to CNC last year to study social work. 

She quickly got involved with campus life, joining the student union's board of directors and becoming the college's representative with the B.C. Federation of Students. 

"I had so many options to go to so many places, but I chose Canada because I believe that Canada operates in the best interest of international immigrants," Ozumba said.

But her future after graduation is now uncertain. 

On Nov. 1, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)  implemented changes to the post-graduation work permit program.

International students require a work permit after graduating. But now graduates from public colleges will only qualify for a permit if they have studied in fields related to occupations in which the federal government has identified labour shortages.

University graduates with bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees are still eligible for a permit of up to three years, regardless of their field of study. 

"It was unexpected. It is disappointing and it is harsh. It is really, really harsh, actually," said Ozumba. "It creates so much uncertainty. We don't know what the future holds."

The changes come as Canada pedals back on its loosening of temporary foreign worker (TFW) restrictions during a post-COVID labour shortage — a decision that led to a spike in the number of low-wage workers.

In September, the federal government announced plans to reduce the number of temporary residents in the country from 6.2 per cent to five per cent by 2027. This includes TFWs and the number of student visas.

Ozumba says even if her program does end up qualifying for a post-graduate work permit, she feels like Canada is no longer as welcoming as she once thought.

"Immigrants are just used to boost Canada's economy and now they want to put all these strict rules that will frustrate them out of the country. That is the message that was put out there," she said.