A major update has emerged for thousands of Indian students and workers dreaming of moving to Canada. While the Canadian government has announced historic action against immigration fraud, new PR policy changes have also increased concerns among Punjabi students and workers.
Canada has announced that from July 15, 2026, victims of fraud by licensed immigration consultants in cases related to PR, work permits, or student visas may receive government compensation. Alongside this, consultants involved in immigration scams could face heavy penalties of up to ₹9 crore and possible jail terms.
This follows after the country witnessed an increase in immigration fraud cases in the recent past. Based on 2024–25 data, the Canadian Immigration Department (IRCC) found almost 10,000 fake admission letters, with more than 80 percent of the cases involving Punjab and Gujarat regions. The families are said to have paid thousands of rupees for sending students to other countries, only to find out later that their documents were fake.
Canada will from now on make it mandatory for all immigration consultants to possess valid government licenses.
From April 2027, students will also be able to verify consultants through an official online public portal showing license status, complaint history, and disciplinary records.
However, another major concern has surfaced for Indian students and workers already living in Canada. Several provinces have reportedly removed food and service sector jobs from their PR priority lists. This could directly affect students working in restaurants, retail stores, gas stations, grocery shops, and chains like Subway or Tim Hortons.
Earlier, jobs such as food service supervisor or retail manager helped many students collect PR points. But Canada is now prioritizing sectors like healthcare, construction, social work, and STEM fields, stating that food and retail industries already have sufficient labour supply.
The policy shift is expected to impact Punjabi youth the most, as a large number of them are employed in Canada’s food and service sectors. It has been stated that some of the provinces have started rejecting the PR applications based on the revised rules.
In Halifax, Nova Scotia, some of the Punjabi students and employees have also started protesting outside the Gurudwara Sahib, stating that although they have applied as per the previous rule regime, they are now being rejected. Moreover, they are also having issues with their expired work permits.
According to experts, it is essential for the students who wish to settle in another country to plan better regarding course selection, career plans, and opting for high-demand sectors. This is because Canada is getting serious about fraudulent activities and its labor market priorities.
