“I chose to immigrate to Canada for its work-life balance, cultural diversity and natural beauty, all of which I’ve experienced first hand in the seven years I’ve lived here,” said Yousafzai, who is based in the capital, Ottawa. “However, with the recent unsavory turn of events, I’m deeply concerned about my future here.”
Yousafzai is among a growing number of people in Canada’s 1.7 million strong Indian diaspora who are wracked by uncertainty over the two nations’ unprecedented diplomatic crisis.
Tensions flared when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pointed the finger at India after Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down in June last year outside his temple in the western Canadian province of British Columbia.
Last week, relations plunged again as the two countries each expelled a half dozen diplomats in a tit-for-tat move following Canadian claims that Indian agents were behind Nijjar’s killing — charges New Delhi slammed as “absurd” and “politically motivated.”
Four Indian nationals living in Canada have been arrested in the Canadian case. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department revealed it has charged a former Indian government official with orchestrating the failed murder plot of another Sikh separatist in New York.
Canada is home to about 800,000 Sikhs, the highest population outside their home state of Punjab, where separatists have long called for the creation of an independent state called Khalistan.
Last month, hundreds of Sikhs protested outside Indian diplomatic missions in several Canadian cities, while some destroyed an Indian flag and smacked a cardboard likeness of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with shoes.
“I worry that the situation might escalate further, deepening divides,” Yousafzai told Nikkei Asia. “On the streets, we see members of the Khalistani community, mainly Punjabi Sikhs, burning Indian flags adding a xenophobic element to the already tense atmosphere.”
The Indian flag is shredded with a knife as Sikh demonstrators protest in Toronto. © ReutersValued for its inclusiveness and diversity, Canada has long been viewed by Indians as a favored destination for immigrants.
But “given the situation, some of my friends are considering reverse immigration back to India while others are exploring moving to Dubai or Australia,” said Sidhartha Iyer, a Toronto-based marketing executive.
Indian-born Iyer is a Canadian citizen who also has the right to live and work in his native country, but he’s still concerned.
“There’s always a lurking fear that my [Canadian] citizenship may be revoked. Or the Indian government could take some radical steps to cut all ties with Canada and vice versa. Where will that leave me?” he asked.
India briefly suspended visas for Canadian citizens after the spat first erupted last year.
Canada has yet to make a similar move. But parents and relatives of Indian students in Canada worry that the tensions could scupper their children’s bid for permanent residency or citizenship — and create challenges traveling back to India.
Indians account for the largest group of international students in Canada. New rules that are starting double the amount of funds international students must have in their bank account to be eligible for a study permit.
“On top of this, tightening of work permits has created fears that we might be deported back to India, shattering our dream of working and living in Canada,” said Prateek Gulati, a Queen’s University student who joined hundreds of Indian counterparts protesting last month against the new requirements.
People gather at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in British Columbia, the site of the 2023 murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. © ReutersTrudeau’s minority Liberal Party government has announced a 10% reduction in international student study permits from the start of 2025.
Education consultants say there’s been a significant dip in inquiries from Indian parents eyeing Canada as an academic destination for their kids.
“The situation was quite different until about a year ago when Indian parents were selling their agricultural land or family jewels just to see their wards admitted in Canadian colleges,” said Satpal Gulia, director at Sizzling Career, a New Delhi-based consulting agency.
“However, since last year, nearly 25% of my clients have either come back to India or migrated illegally to the U.S. across the border to make a life there.”
The deepening diplomatic rift and tighter immigration rules come as many in Canada already face a cost-of-living crisis, housing scarcity and increasing pressure on the health system and public transit — partly attributed to the influx of newcomers from India and elsewhere.
A recent survey by social research nonprofit Environics Institute found nearly 60% of Canadians think there is “too much immigration.” That marked the strongest opposition in a quarter century and challenged Canada’s reputation as a welcoming destination for migrants.
Immigration policy is likely to be a key campaign issue ahead of federal elections expected next year.
Adding to concerns are instances of racial abuse, including a viral video in which an elderly woman told a man to “go back to India.”
The uneasy situation has Akash Bhasin, a 21-year-old living in India’s northern Punjab state, rethinking a dream of following his brother by studying at a Canadian university.
“[I’m] now exploring other options for higher education,” he said.
source : asia.nikkei