(Image source from: Businesstoday.in)

The Prince Edward Islands (PEI) in Canada has recently changed its immigration rules due to the high volume of immigrants. This change has affected international students, with many facing deportation and protesting against the new policy. The reasons behind the change in rules were issues with housing, healthcare, and jobs, which were at the forefront of the immigration policy change in PEI. The locals of PEI, the smallest Canadian province, have expressed their concerns about their opportunities being taken away by immigrants living in their province. As a result, there was a 25% cut in immigration permits, and the government has shifted its focus to healthcare, childcare, and construction instead of the service sectors. The PEI premier has also revealed plans to decrease the number of international migrants for permanent residency through the Provincial Nominee Programme. While Canada has always been welcoming to immigrants, there is now a backlash from Canadian nationals, particularly towards international students who have misused their student visas to gain permanent residency and citizenship in Canada.

During a recent episode of Ratioed with Harrison Faulkner, citizens of Prince Edward Island (PEI) explained to Faulkner why they opposed having Indian students in their area. Although they do not dislike the students themselves, the locals feel that PEI is already overpopulated and cannot accommodate more people. PEI's situation reflects the larger problem that most Canadian provinces are facing: a significant increase in international immigration. According to a Karlstack report, PEI has experienced a sharp rise in the number of international immigrants since 2006. "We need to address the problems here," said one man. "Most of the jobs on the island are going to non-locals. Unless you own a family business, your children will be high school graduates seeking employment." Data supports the people's views. "PEI offered 1,070 PNP slots in 2018, which doubled to 2,050 slots in 2023 — so this new 25% reduction to 1,600 in 2024 is still 75% higher than it was in 2018," the Karlstack report stated. "If we go to their country, we won't be able to find work. I have three daughters and two of them cannot find work. Because there is no work. We can't find a job. "It's all full," one woman told Faulkner. He also said that he has difficulty communicating with other ethnic groups because they do not speak English well. Although basic English is required and tested using the TOEFL, immigrants to Canada have found many opportunities for computer games.

This anti-immigrant hatred must be viewed against the backdrop of population growth and a housing shortage in 2023. The vacancy rate increased by just 0.2% from 0.8% to 1.0. One blamed PEI regulations for the large number of immigrants. “The rules are flexible and easy to enforce,” the man told Harrison Faulkner. It was also mentioned that due to immigration, queues for medical care in preschool institutions are increasing. In 2023, the Canadian Prince Edward Island had the longest wait for medical care. After the visit to the family doctor, it took an average of 41.7 weeks to consult a specialist. Few also realize how important their work is, as immigrants support the food industry, sales and retail. But others said the work should be given to Aboriginal people in the Canadian province. Immigrant arrivals continue to be a problem on Prince Edward Island, with health care, jobs and housing in crisis. Indian immigrants, especially those on student visas living and working in PEI, will have to see how they cope with the new policies and local discontent.