The dispute over post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) involving Indian students, a majority of them from Punjab, in Canada’s Calgary has moved from individual rejection letters to a sustained protest and hunger strike, with the issue now drawing a response from the provincial government and Canadian immigration authorities.The controversy has particular resonance in Punjab, where Canada remains one of the most sought-after destinations for students, and where families often invest substantial amounts in overseas education. The affected students say they completed programmes after being led to believe that they would be eligible for a post-study work permit, only to find their applications rejected.Calgary, located in Canada’s Alberta province, has seen students protesting near the city’s Saddletowne area and elsewhere. Some have also begun a hunger strike, demanding clarity and reconsideration of their cases.At the heart of the dispute is a question of what students understood they were eligible for when they enrolled and how their applications are being assessed under Canada’s current immigration rules. Here’s what to know.The students are protesting the rejection of their PGWP applications after completing programmes associated with Portage College, situated in Alberta’s Lac La Biche, and delivered through partner institutions in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta’s provincial capital.The students say they paid around 32,000 Canadian dollars, or roughly Rs 20 lakh, in tuition for two-year programmes and completed their studies believing that they could apply for a work permit afterwards. They now argue that their programmes are being treated as non-credit courses that do not qualify for a PGWP.Also read | Why fewer Indian students are getting into colleges in US, UK and Canada this yearSome students have also pointed to what they describe as inconsistent outcomes, saying that while their applications were rejected, other students who studied similar programmes or were part of the same batches received work permits.Story continues below this adPortage College, however, has maintained that immigration decisions are made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and not by the college. It said it has been communicating with immigration authorities and has advised affected graduates to seek independent legal advice.Why has this become a major protest?The exact number of affected students remains unclear, but estimates circulating among students and in reports from Calgary suggest that hundreds of graduates could be affected, with around 480 students linked to the programmes in question. Students fear the number could rise as more applications are processed.The protests gathered momentum in July, with students demanding that their cases be reconsidered. The students say they followed the education pathway available to them, completed their courses, and spent large sums of money. They argue that they should not now be left without the work opportunity they believed would follow their education.What did Canadian authorities and the provincial government say?The Canadian immigration authorities’ position is that students must meet the eligibility criteria applicable to PGWP applications. The issue has also highlighted the importance of complying with Canada’s immigration rules while studying and working.Story continues below this adThe issue has now also drawn a political response from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. She has raised concerns that some students may have received exaggerated information about their prospects of obtaining permanent residency.Also read | Why do Indians account for nearly 60% of the drop in Canada’s permanent residency numbersSmith has also made the position on immigration status clear: international students whose visas expire and who do not have permanent residency cannot remain in Canada indefinitely and may have to return to their home countries.For the protesting students, however, the central issue is whether their individual applications were assessed fairly and whether the circumstances under which they enrolled and paid for their education should be taken into account.What have immigration experts in Punjab said?Immigration consultants in Jalandhar say the students should pursue legal and administrative remedies rather than relying only on street protests.Story continues below this adSumit Jain, who runs Jain Overseas Consultancy and an IELTS centre in Jalandhar, said the controversy was partly linked to changes introduced by Canada in recent years concerning eligibility for post-study work permits.According to Jain, several non-credit programmes were being offered before the changes, and students who enrolled in such courses earlier are now facing difficulties when applying for PGWPs. There have also been cases where students from such programmes have received work permits, which, in his view, points to inconsistencies in how some applications are being decided.He said affected students should explore judicial review of their refusals and seek reconsideration rather than lose time. He also urged students to carefully check the eligibility of a programme before enrolling, noting that Canadian authorities have published lists of programmes that qualify and those that do not.NewsletterFollow our daily newsletter so you never miss anything important. On Wednesday, we answer readers' questions.SubscribeJain said students should preferably opt for programmes offered by recognised public colleges and universities and carefully verify PGWP eligibility before paying tuition fees. He said that students holding a degree with non- credit programs are not even eligible for the Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP).Story continues below this adThe PNP lets provinces and territories nominate people who have the skills, education, and work experience to help their economy (such as business people and skilled workers), want to live in that province or territory, or want to become permanent residents of Canada. Each province and territory has its own requirements and can also set the number of people they can nominate each year.Another known expert, Tirath Singh of Pinnacle Education and Immigration Centre, Jalandhar, also advised students to pursue legal channels, including judicial review and applications for reconsideration, rather than depending solely on protests.He said many of the non-credit programmes at the centre of the controversy were being offered before the newer immigration rules came into effect and that affected students should have their individual cases examined through the appropriate legal process.Singh stressed that students’ issues will be resolved 100% if they adopt legal ways. He also emphasised a broader point for prospective students: eligibility for a post-study work permit should be independently verified before admission, rather than assumed simply because a programme is being offered by a Canadian institution.