- Alberta Premier says international students must leave Canada if visas expire without residency
- Students should understand study visas are temporary and must return home after education
- Concerns rise over false promises of permanent residency for international students
Amid protests by international students, including many from India, over difficulties obtaining post-graduation work permits, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has reiterated that students who come to Canada on temporary study visas should leave the country when their visas expire if they have not secured permanent residency.
"A student visa is a temporary document to study in Canada. That was always understood," Danielle Smith said in an X post.
"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 suggested that Canada needs an immigration system that follows clearly defined rules.
The comments come amid growing concerns over international students being promised pathways to permanent residency that may not exist.
Portage College controversy
Smith was speaking in the context of protests by international students, many of them from India, who studied at Portage College and have reported problems obtaining Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs). Smith rejected the description of Portage College as a "diploma mill", but acknowledged that programmes that may have overstated immigration opportunities. "There have been instances where unscrupulous operators have set up diploma-granting programs and taken advantage of students.
"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.
Canada warns students about unauthorised work
The wider backdrop is a tougher Canadian immigration system. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has warned that working without proper authorisation can have serious consequences, including removal from Canada, a five-year ban on returning to the country and a permanent fraud flag on an immigration record. Unauthorised work can also affect future visa and permanent residency applications.
IRCC says its reforms are aimed at protecting students and improving the integrity of the international student programme.
Students planning to study in Canada should note that admission to a Canadian college or university does not automatically mean a work permit or permanent residency. IRCC itself advises students to verify their institution, understand their programme's eligibility and be wary of anyone promising guaranteed immigration outcomes. Students will need to look beyond admission offers and carefully check what their chosen programme actually allows them to do after graduation.
