Canada's New Visa Rules May Become A Nightmare For Indian Students, Workers

Canada's latest steps to curb migration is likely to have an adverse effect on tens of thousands of foreign students, including those from India. It will also negatively impact those who apply for work and resident permits.

These new rules have come into effect from the beginning of February and give unhindered powers to Canadian border officials to alter the visa status of students, workers, and migrants at any time should they deem such action necessary.

Under the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, Canadian border personnel are now vested with the powers to deny or reject temporary resident documents such as electronic travel authorisations or eTAs and temporary resident visas or TRVs.

This means that border officials can now cancel such documents, which include work permits and student visas. However, there are some guidelines which need to be met in order for them to reject permits and visas. This includes one which states that if an officer is not convinced that the individual will leave Canada upon the expiration of their authorised stay, they can reject their entry or cancel their permit even during their stay in Canada.

The discretionary powers to make such judgement is entirely vested upon the officer.

These new rules and regulations have a scope of uncertainty, and will potentially impact tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of international students and workers - of which Indians are the largest group of foreign nationals in either category.

Canada is among the most preferred destination for Indian students, workers, and legal migrants. Students alone, currently pursuing their higher education in Canada, account for more than 4.2 lakh Indian nationals as per government data.

Should a student, worker, or migrant get rejected, they will be stopped at the port of entry and sent back to their home country. In case a permit is cancelled while such a person is already studying, working, or residing in Canada, they will be served a notice to leave the country by a specified date.

Besides these categories, Canada also sees a massive inflow of tourists from India - all of whom also have temporary permits of different duration of stay. In the first six months of 2024, Canada issued travel visas to more than 3.6 lakh Indians. In 2023 too, Indians accounted for 3.4 lakh tourists in the first six months of the year as per data released by the Canadian authorities.

Those who will be impacted shall receive a notification by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada via email as well as their IRCC account. There is no clarity regarding what will happen to the money invested or already paid by such persons - be it towards their education or loans, mortgages or rent paid by workers during their stay in case of a sudden cancellation.

Just three months earlier - in November 2024, Canada had closed down the Student Direct Stream or SDS visa program - a preferred route for Indian students who were willing to guarantee money upfront to be assured of their education in the North American country.
 

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Rape Survivor Faces Horror Again In Bengaluru Hotel, Cop Arrested

A 17-year-old rape survivor was allegedly raped by a police constable at a Bengaluru hotel, officials said on Monday.

The incident took place in December, when constable Arun asked the survivor to meet her at a hotel on the pretext of helping her. 

According to officials, the teen initially befriended Vicky, who allegedly raped her on a false promise of marriage. Vicky also assaulted the girl.

The survivor's mother filed a complaint with Bommanahalli police, but Arun befriended the accused.

The constable assured justice to the girl and also promised to find her a job. He allegedly called her to a hotel, where he mixed sedatives in a liquor bottle and forced her to consume it. Arun then raped the survivor and threatened to circulate her private videos if she disclosed the incident to anyone, the officials said. 

Both Arun and Vicky have been arrested and charged under various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The accused have been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

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Liquor Ban In J&K? Signature Campaign, Posters, Spark Massive Row

Jammu and Kashmir is seeing a fresh political row over liquor ban - an issue that came up in 2016 but got thumbs downed by Mehbooba Mufti's ruling People's Democratic Party. Now the battlelines have been re-drawn, with the PDP spearheading the demand for a ban. The party has started a signature campaign in support of the ban and it is the ruling National Conference that is accusing it of hypocrisy.
Over the weekend, posters came up across Srinagar, supporting the ban and calling upon tourists to "respect local culture and traditions". Police action to remove the posters has been questioned by the Opposition.

The matter is expected to dominate the assembly in the budget session which begins on March 3. Two members - one of the PDP and one from the National Conference -- have submitted bills to ban liquor.

PDP's Fayaz Ahamd Mir, National Conference's Ahsan Pardesi and a third MLA -- Awami Ittehad Party's (AIP) Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad - have moved separate bills in the assembly seeking ban on sale of liquor in the Union Territory.

Today PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti  joined the signature campaign that was  launched by her daughter  Iltija Mufti yesterday. 

A day before, on Friday, traders at Srinagar's historic Lal Chowk had put up posters that, after welcoming tourists, said, "For a memorable and enjoyable trip, we kindly request: Love and cherish your family, avoid liquor, drugs, spitting on roads and smoking. Respect our culture and traditions".

NC MLA, Ahsan Pardesi said, in support of his bill, that the unchecked sale of alcohol disregards the religious and cultural ethos of Kashmir.

"Our heritage has always stood against intoxicants, and this bill is a step toward preserving those values," he added.

Kashmir - heavily dependent on tourism -- has always been cosmopolitan in its hospitality. The first liquor shop in the Valley dates back to the British era. Since then, liquor shops have functioned in Kashmir, but as terror broke out in the Valley in the 1990s, Islamist terrorist groups banned the sale of liquor.

The ruling National Conference has said it is pro-choice and would prefer to leave it to tourists to decide whether they wanted a tipple or not.

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Shooting At Hospital In US' Pennsylvania, Reports Say Gunman Killed

Several shots were fired at a hospital in central Pennsylvania, with the gunman being reportedly killed in the encounter with police. The incident took place at the UPMC Memorial Hospital and some people are reportedly injured.

Pennsylvania Governor, Josh Shapiro, said, "I've been briefed on the tragic shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County and I am on my way to the scene. The hospital is now secure and members of the police are on the ground responding alongside our local and federal partners."

I've been briefed on the tragic shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County and I am on my way to the scene.

The hospital is now secure and members of the @PAStatePolice and @PEMAHQ are on the ground responding alongside our local and federal partners.

Follow the…

— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) February 22, 2025

"Follow the direction of local authorities and stay clear of the area. We will share more updates as they become available," Mr Shapiro said.

A video, which is viral on social media, shows a police car approaching the hospital and people running out of the premises. After shots were fired, the area was cordoned off by the police.

🚨🇺🇸#BREAKING | NEWS ⚠️
Active shooter situation at UMPC hospital in York, Pennsylvania story is still developing multiple victims reported pic.twitter.com/GqOAqWMtiE

— Todd Paron🇺🇸🇬🇷🎧👽 (@tparon) February 22, 2025

According to reports, two law enforcement officers and a nurse sustained injuries in the shooting.

The New York Times, quoting an official from the hospital said, "A gunman was at the hospital on Saturday and shots were fired." "The hospital is now secure and the threat has been neutralized," the hospital said.

Officials at UPMC Memorial in York said that no patients were injured and that the gunman is dead, the news agency Associated Press reported, adding that law enforcement agencies are on-premises and are managing the situation.

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New FBI Director Kash Patel's Family Has Roots In This Gujarat Village

Indian-American Kash Patel, confirmed by the US Senate to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), traces his roots to Bhadran village in Gujarat's Anand district, from where his family migrated to Uganda 70 to 80 years ago, members of the community he belongs to said on Friday.

New York-born Patel (44), who belongs to the Patidar community, has become the first Indian-American to lead the premier law enforcement agency of the United States.

Leaders of the Patidar community said all close family members of Mr Patel are settled in foreign countries. They sold their ancestral houses in Bhadran once they shifted to Africa.

Chh Gam Patidar Mandal, an organisation of the community based in Anand, maintains a `vanshavali' (family tree) of its members.

"In the 'vanshavali' we have names of Kash Patel's father Pramod Patel and also his brothers and grandfather," said secretary of the organisation and Anand district BJP present Rajesh Patel.

Rajesh Patel told PTI that though Kash Patel's name was yet to be added to the family tree, the entry of 18 generations of his family is there in the 'vanshavali' and it is stored in their office along with those of all members of their community.

"As per our records, the family used to live in Moti Khadki area of Bhadran village and they migrated to Uganda some 70 to 80 years ago," he informed.

"The family sold their ancestral house and land and all of his relatives are settled in foreign countries, especially in the USA. Now, when a family member of Kash Patek comes back to India we will seek their permission to record their next generation's names, including his own name, in the 'vanshavali'," Rajesh Patel informed.

"We have not met Kash Patel as the family has not visited Anand in recent years. But many in our community know them as the Patidar community is a close-knit one," he said.

Rajesh Patel said, as far as he knows, that the family had returned for a brief time to India after their expulsion from the African country in the 1970.

"Those Indians who were expelled from Uganda had come to India for a brief stay as they had applied for asylum in the UK, US or Canada. Kash Patel's family had also come here for a brief stopover and then moved to Canada once their applications were accepted," he said.

From Canada, they shifted to the US, where Kash Patel was born in 1980, Rajesh Patel maintained.

Indians who migrated to Uganda were expelled from the African country by dictator Idi Amin who seized power in a military coup in 1971. In 1972, he ordered the Indian community to leave his country in 90 days.

Chh Gam Patidar Mandal is an organization of the Patidar community from six villages/towns of Anand district -- Dharmaj, Nadiad, Sojitra, Bhadran, Vaso and Karamsad. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of the country, hailed from Karamsad.

The new FBI chief served as the former Chief of Staff to Acting Secretary of Defence Christopher Miller. He was responsible for leading the Secretary's mission at the Department, including his executive staff and providing counsel to him on all matters concerning its operations, the US Department of Defence's short biography on Kash Patel said.

A native of New York, Kash Patel completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Richmond before returning to New York to earn his law degree, along with a Certificate in International Law from University College London Faculty of Laws in the United Kingdom, it said.

Kash Patel, a trained lawyer, is an ice-hockey fan and has been playing the sport since he was six, it said.

"We are Gujarati,” he had told PTI in an earlier interview in the United States. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Musk's Reaction To Woman Losing "Dream Job" In DOGE Cuts Sparks Discussion

A US woman who once praised the convenience of remote work has lost her job in the federal restructuring spearheaded by Elon Musk. After assuming office earlier this year, US President Donald Trump has focused on reducing government spending and downsizing the federal workforce. Spearheading this initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has enforced cost-cutting measures across various federal agencies. Amid this, a woman who goes by the name 'That Blonde Girl' on social media shared that she was terminated from her "dream job" due to the federal restructuring orders. 

In a post shared on February 15, Saturday, she wrote: "I was terminated from my dream job with the Children's Bureau yesterday due to federal restructuring orders/DOGE. I am unemployed for the first time since I was 15 years old."

This post and her termination came months after she bragged about the convenience of a work-from-home job. "Didn't have any meetings today so I've been wearing my jammies all day but now I have a meeting in 30 minutes sooo putting on a hoodie. Eventually that WFH life gonna getcha," she posted in October 2024. 

These two different posts have gone viral on social media and even caught the attention of Elon Musk. The billionaire, who has been vocal about bringing employees back to the office, reacted to the combined tweets with one emoji which reflects his stand regarding the work-from-home situation for employees. 

Take a look below: 

🤨 https://t.co/OGJrNK1KuW

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 19, 2025

Mr Musk's reaction to the tweet quickly caught the attention of social media users. In the comments section, some questioned why the woman was being criticised, suggesting that remote working doesn't necessarily mean she was unproductive. Others argued that optics might seem unprofessional but did not indicate a lack of effort. 

Also Read | Recruiter Destroys Keyboard In Rage After Candidate Rejects Job Offer, Internet Reacts

"I don't get it. Why is this bad?  Because she was wearing comfortable clothes while working from home with no meetings?" questioned one user. "I'm confused.. What is the problem here..Whether she wears pajamas or a suit - it shouldn't matter to anyone?" commented another. 

"So, you are assuming, (or insinuating), that people are not capable of working in pyjamas?  She is referring to a meeting/online video call, not her full scope of work of which you have absolutely ZERO idea!" expressed a third user. 

"I honestly don't get this one and I'm a Trump supporter.  If the role can be done from home and the required tasks are being completed on time and accurately, what's the big deal?  If people aren't needed just because their job is obselete or duplicate, that's a different story," wrote another. 

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Kash Patel, A Trump Loyalist, Confirmed As FBI Director

The Republican-controlled US Senate on Thursday confirmed Kash Patel, a staunch loyalist of President Donald Trump, to be director of the FBI, the country's top law enforcement agency.

Patel, 44, whose nomination sparked fierce but ultimately futile opposition from Democrats, was approved by a 51-49 vote.

The vote was split along party lines with the exception of two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted not to confirm Patel to head the 38,000-strong Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Patel drew fire from Democrats for his promotion of conspiracy theories, his defense of pro-Trump rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and his vow to root out members of a supposed "deep state" plotting to oppose the Republican president.

The Senate has approved all of Trump's cabinet picks so far, underscoring his iron grip on the Republican Party.

Among them is Tulsi Gabbard, confirmed as the nation's spy chief despite past support for adversarial nations including Russia and Syria, and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be health secretary.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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