India-Canada row: Several Punjab families in a fix

Hoshiarpur/Phagwara/Kapurthala: Kunal Saini,a 21-year-old student from Hoshiarpur, feels his dream of studying in Canada is shattered. Hoshiarpur’s Arvind Sharma, whose son is a permanent resident status there, fears that it will be difficult for him to secure a visa to visit the North American country to meet him.

With the frosty ties between India and Canada sinking to a fresh low, students in Punjab who aspire to study in Canada and also the families of those who are living in the North American country are worried over the uncertainties associated with the development. Given the souring relations between India and Canada, several people expressed the fear that they will face difficulties in securing visas to meet relatives in Canada.

India on Monday expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced withdrawing its high commissioner and other “targeted” officials from Canada. It strongly dismissed Ottawa’s allegations linking the envoy to a probe into the killing of Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India’s decision to recall High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and some other diplomats came shortly after Canadian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheelers was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Wheelers was bluntly told that baseless “targeting” of the Indian envoy and other officials was “completely unacceptable”.

The escalating diplomatic row between India and Canada has left many families back home worried. Canada is one of the most favourite countries for Punjabis to study and settle down there. A number of people of the Doaba region, comprising Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr), are settled abroad, mostly in Canada, the USA and the UK.

Reacting to the fresh development, Kunal Saini, resident of Gautam Nagar in Hoshiarpur, expressed his worry over the situation, stating that his dream of studying in Canada now feels uncertain. His sister, Kanika Saini, who moved to Canada three years ago on a student visa, has been keeping him informed about the challenges the Indian students are already facing there. She told her brother that the Canadian government has imposed stricter restrictions, especially limiting students to 20 hours of work per week. This has particularly affected those from modest backgrounds, as they struggle to meet their living expenses with limited part-time job opportunities.

Given the current situation, Kunal has reluctantly decided to abandon his plans of studying in Canada and is now exploring other options for higher education. In September this year, the Canadian government announced a reduction in the intake cap on international student study permits for 2025. It reduced study permits by 10 per cent from the 2024 target of 4.85 lakh new student permits. According to estimates, Punjab accounts for around 70 per cent of the total Indian students who go to Canada.

Arvind Sharma, a resident of Red Road in Hoshiarpur who owns a stationery shop, voiced concerns over the uncertainty facing Indians in Canada. His son, Gopal Sharma, who obtained permanent resident status there, is also affected by the tensions. Arvind fears that the ongoing diplomatic standoff could make it difficult for Indians, both in Canada and India, to secure visas to visit their relatives.

Another local resident Gulshan Batra said his daughter Sabhy Batra moved to Canada from Hoshiarpur a year ago on a study visa to pursue an interior design course. Gulshan, who runs an electronic goods shop, said Sabhy has expressed concern over Canada’s recent policy changes, which include reducing permanent residency nominations and limiting study permits.

Similarly, Rajesh Marwaha, whose son Shubham Marwaha went to Canada on a study visa seven months ago, is concerned over the manner in which the diplomatic fallout will affect his son’s future. Rajesh owns a crockery shop in Hoshiarpur. In Kapurthala, Rishipal, Amandeep and Madan Lal, all local residents whose wards are studying in Canada, said their children were already facing problems in getting extension in work permits. While Rishipal and Amandeep are shop owners, Madan Lal is a retired government employee. The three are facing problems in securing visitor visas to meet their wards in Canada, they said.

In Phagwara, a local resident, seeking anonymity, said both the countries should resolve their issues amicably. “I am exploring other options in the wake of the diplomatic war between the two countries,” said a student on condition of anonymity. A showroomowner in Phagwara said, “The season of NRI visits to their homeland has begun. Shops of goldsmiths, cloth merchants and other wares do quick business during the season as hordes of NRIs flock Punjab, especially Doaba and do liberal shopping. “But the bitterness in the India-Canada relationship will cause uncertainty and there is every possibility of many NRIs from Canada deferring their visits due to it, resulting in dim business activities,” he said.

Inderpal Singh, a travel agent in Kapurthala, said there is already a waiting period of four to six months for getting visitor visas for parents who want to meet their wards in Canada. In Amritsar, another travel agent Prabhjot Kaur echoed similar sentiments, saying the visa sanctioning process between India and Canada will be affected due to the worsening relations between the two countries.(PTI)