Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller, clarified that permanent residency was not guaranteed for immigrants on study visas in a new wave of adjustments to cut down on the nation’s ballooning population.

Mr Miller made the statement penultimate Tuesday in an interview to address immigration concerns, particularly after international students staged demonstrations across various cities demanding an extension of their work permits.

The minister set the records straight that while he respected their right to protest in a democratic nation like Canada, it was critical to understand that student visas did not automatically entitle them to permanent residence.

“When people came in here and decided to be students, it wasn’t a guarantee to become a permanent resident,” Mr Miller said.

Further compounding the woes of international students, Mr Miller said that their work permits would not be extended, which was bad news for postgraduate students whose work permits were near expiry.

The minister said international students who fall in this category might have to leave Canada, a country with strict rules on using work permits to acquire jobs in the labour market.

“Some students will have to make a difficult decision as to whether they leave the country or not,” Mr Miller stressed. 

According to the minister, the decision to reduce immigration by 20 per cent was crucial in order to manage the population without placing undue strain on Canada’s economy.