Suspension of Post-Graduate Immigration Program Puts Students' Futures on Hold
Thousands of recent university graduates are facing widespread uncertainty following the Quebec government’s decision to suspend their applications for permanent residency. This was done to ensure that non-resident students who are already employees of in-demand fields in Quebec obtain their residence permits quicker than other recent graduates who are not employed in such fields. As a result, however, this policy change will perpetuate a culture where immigration policies appear to consider people solely as part of the machinery ensuring the smooth running of the economy rather than individuals with dreams of their own.
The system in place was the Quebec Experience Program, under which recent post-secondary graduates had their immigration application reviews accelerated. Students were eligible for the program provided they had studied in a Quebec public post-secondary institution, achieved an intermediate level of French, and successfully completed a study program such as a Masters, PhD, Bachelor’s degree, or a diploma of vocational studies. It was a program that allowed students to study whatever subject they wanted to without having to worry about their residency depending on their employment status.
In July 2019, the Quebec government suspended the program. If a student wants to stay in Quebec post-graduation, they must apply for a work permit. This suspension is supposed to be temporary, and government officials have announced that they expect it to be over by November. The stated purpose for the suspension is to ensure that the residency applications of people who already have permanent jobs but have not yet obtained residency are reviewed in priority, as there is an excessive number of applications and insufficient resources to manage all of them. While this motivation seems fair, the right way to deal with administrative backlog cannot simply be suspending the program; such measures all but ensure future suspensions when applications pile up again.
Moreover, the decision to suspend this program is reflective of the Quebec government’s overall view on immigration; the level of immigration into Quebec has dropped 20% since the Coalition Avenir Québec Party came into power in October 2018. Solely encouraging in-demand workers to remain in the province may negatively impact students already here who have chosen to study in Quebec and have been contributing to the economy for years. The money and effort they have put into building a life in Quebec may all have been for nothing, should they be denied residency. Students may no longer choose to partake in long-term investments, such as purchasing property or starting a family. The second way in which this policy may have negative consequences is by portraying immigrants purely in economic terms. It defines students’ added value to the province in terms of how useful they can be to the Quebec economy, rather than considering their personal abilities that extend beyond their professional qualifications, focusing on shaping the Quebec workforce more than its society.
As much as this policy aims to clear up administrative backlog and ensure the presence of a high amount of skilled workers in the province, it has clear ramifications on recent graduates. Beyond this, it is also a policy which contributes to the very fabric of Quebec society, and to the meaning of residency. If residency becomes synonymous with treating individuals as purely economic actors, then can anyone ever truly feel like they belong to a country rather than to its economy? Whether it be the emotional comfort of being able to call a place home, the motivation to contribute positively to one’s community, or the drive to give back to the country in some way, a sense of belonging is fundamental to building a stronger community and national identity.