12 international students at Calgary protest referred to CBSA office after status check

A dozen people who took part in a weeks-long international student protest in northeast Calgary have been flagged as "being possibly inadmissible" and, according to an immigration lawyer, could be forced to leave Canada.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirmed officers were called to attend the protest site on Wednesday to check attendees' immigration statuses.

According to a CBSA spokesperson, officers verified the statuses of 20 people, and 12 were identified as being possibly inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

“The individuals were asked to attend the CBSA office later that day for a follow-up interview. Due to privacy legislation, no additional details on these cases will be provided,” said the spokesperson.

The agency says everyone who's subject to immigration enforcement action, including those ordered to be removed from Canada, "have access to due process before the law."

International graduates and others in support of their cause had been protesting issues with work permits at Saddletowne Circle, down the street from the Genesis Centre, for weeks.

Some Alberta international students speak out after being denied post-graduate work permits

Similar protests are happening in Edmonton, with some Alberta students participating in hunger strikes to draw attention to the issue.

Some graduates who studied at Portage College say they were under the impression they would be eligible for post-graduation work permits when they finished school.

Portage College says it’s seeking clarification from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

“Portage College's understanding was that students enrolled in non-credit public-private partnership programs prior to May 15, 2024 would be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, if they were enrolled before the May 2024 changes, consistent with the information available at the time and the way these applications had historically been administered by IRCC,” said spokesperson Andre Delaire.

It was the Calgary Police Service that called the CBSA for help on Wednesday.

In a statement to CBC News, a police spokesperson said the demonstration began on July 24 and “has largely been peaceful in nature,” but police had received complaints about excessive noise, obstructing businesses, disturbances and public intoxication.

On Wednesday, police responded to a report of people blocking parts of the sidewalk and impeding pedestrians.