A group of migrant workers in Canada who are about to illegally overstay their welcome have gathered for a press conference to demand they stay in the country.
Just weeks after embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the government would crack down on immigration, members of the Naujawan Support Network shared a video insisting they would not back down.
The group – made up of people from South Asian countries – is brazenly fighting against 'unfair immigration policies' after being 'exploited' by obtaining work visas in Canada.
Members of the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) group within the network are in an encampment 24 hours a day for 143 days to “protest Canada's exploitative immigration policies.”
The group posted on social media Monday that the PGWP committee had made the “difficult decision” to close the Brampton encampment due to Trudeau's resignation and the suspension of the country's parliament until March.
Despite closing the camp's door and expiring many of their visas, the group said they are “changing their strategy” but that their “fight is far from over.”
Once their visa expires and a 90-day grace period is over, they are classified as illegal immigrants in Canada.
'We are changing the strategy for our protest. As we change strategy and move away from a 24/7 encampment, we want to remind you that our fight is far from over,” an unnamed woman from the group said as her colleagues gathered around them.
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 close the Brampton encampment due to Trudeau's resignation and the suspension of the country's parliament until March. (Photo: Justin Trudeau on Tuesday)
'We're just changing our methods. We will continue to fight against unfair immigration policies.
“Our entire team at the PGWT Committee is committed to this cause and we will continue to fight until all our demands are met,” she continued, adding that they will now focus more on obtaining work permit extensions for international students and immigrants.
“Right now, we think we're spending a lot of energy and resources trying to maintain this 24/7 encampment,” she continued, adding that they know it's “going to be a long fight.”
“We believe that we have to work a lot in the background to mobilize,” the woman added.
The reason for protesting, according to the group, is primarily because the country has “long marketed itself as a land of opportunity for international studies,” but recently that has changed.
“Many of us are trapped in a system designed to make colleges rich, while international students are left in dire straits,” the group said on its GoFundMe page, which 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 expired or will soon expire, a five-year work permit for international students “to give us a real chance of success.” ,' and that the 'exploitation' of the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) will come to an end.
Before Trudeau dramatically announced his resignation on Jan. 6 — just days before President Donald Trump took 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 ($930 million USD) series of new measures will “secure our border against the flow of illegal drugs and irregular migration.” '
The new measures include 24/7 surveillance of the border using 'helicopters, drones and mobile surveillance towers', and improved detection tools to track drugs slipping across the border.
The legislation is based on five pillars: slowing fentanyl trafficking, improving border patrol coordination, providing new tools for law enforcement, facilitating information sharing between departments and slowing migrant crossings, reports TNC.
According to the group, the reason for the protest in the first place is that the country has “long marketed itself as a land of opportunity for international studies,” but recently that has changed.
The group has demanded, among other things, a five-year work permit for international students “to give us a real chance of success.”
Previously known for his progressive policies and pushing for migrants to flood into Canada, Trudeau has changed his tune in recent weeks as his polls plummeted.
It came weeks after Trump threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on all imports from Canada, citing Trudeau's struggles to ensure border security.
Less than a month later, Trudeau announced he would resign as prime minister, capping a spectacular fall from grace for the Liberal standard-bearer.
In emotional remarks, Trudeau said: “Last night at dinner I told my children about the decision I am 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 costs of food and housing, and rising immigration.
Despite the camp's door being closed and many of their visas expiring, the group says they are “changing their strategy” and that “the fight is far from over.”
Trump has repeatedly mocked the Canadian leader by suggesting his country would be better off as the 51st US state.
The day after Trump announced on social media that he would impose the new tariff on goods from Canada, Trudeau immediately flew to Mar-a-Lago to do damage control.
During that meeting, reports emerged detailing how Trudeau begged Trump not to impose the tariffs, claiming it would kill the Canadian economy.
The reason Trump wants to impose tariffs on Canada is to put pressure on Ottawa to do more to secure the border and stop illegal immigrants leaking into the US.
Trump demanded the resignation, claiming that his approach in dealing with Canada led to Trudeau's move.
Before Trudeau dramatically announced his resignation on January 6, he 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.”
Speaking 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 has chosen its next leader through a robust , national competitive process. .'
Trudeau will remain in power until his party elects a new leader, which they will have to do before the fall general election, which shows the Conservatives will win with Pierre Poilievre as their leader.
The father-of-three had been Prime Minister since November 2015 and lived with his family at Rideau Cottage. He and his wife Sophie announced their divorce in August 2023.
