Muhammad Amanullah | August 14, 2026
The True Post (Web News) — A protest by international students in Calgary has taken a new turn after the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) checked the immigration status of 20 people at the demonstration and identified 12 who may potentially be inadmissible to Canada. An immigration lawyer says some of those individuals could eventually face removal from the country.
International students and graduates have been protesting for several weeks near Saddletowne Circle in northeast Calgary. Their main demand is action over difficulties involving Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applications. The protest began on July 24 and has largely remained peaceful, according to police.
CBSA Checks Immigration Statuses
The Canada Border Services Agency confirmed that officers were called to the protest site on Wednesday to verify the immigration status of people present there.
According to CBSA, officers checked the status of 20 individuals. Twelve were identified as potentially inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
Those individuals were asked to report to a CBSA office later the same day for additional interviews. Due to privacy legislation, the agency did not provide further information about their individual cases or current status.
CBSA said that anyone subject to immigration enforcement proceedings, including individuals who may face removal, is entitled to due process and access to the applicable legal procedures.
Why Are the Students Protesting?
The Calgary protest involves international students and graduates who say they have faced difficulties obtaining Post-Graduation Work Permits.
Some protesters say they came to Canada believing that completing their studies would make them eligible to apply for a PGWP, only to have their applications rejected after graduation.
The issue has become particularly important for some students who studied at Portage College, which has also sought clarification from Canadian immigration authorities.
Portage College’s Position
Portage College spokesperson André Delaire said the college’s understanding, based on information available at the time, was that students who entered non-credit public-private partnership programs before May 15, 2024, would be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
The college said this understanding was based on information available before changes introduced in May 2024 and on how Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had previously handled such applications.
However, many students say they were denied work permits after completing their programs.
Why Was CBSA Called?
CBSA officers were not initially dispatched to the protest on their own. Calgary Police Service requested assistance from immigration authorities on Wednesday.
Police said the protest, which began July 24, has generally remained peaceful. However, authorities had received complaints involving excessive noise, disruption of businesses, disruptive incidents and public intoxication.
Police said they were also notified Wednesday that some people were blocking sections of sidewalks and affecting pedestrian movement.
Officers requested identification from people who had established tents or other structures without authorization on city-owned property.
According to police, concerns arose regarding some of the identification provided, prompting officers to contact CBSA to verify the individuals’ immigration status.
The Investigation Initially Involved Four People
CBSA said it was initially called to check the immigration status of four individuals.
Two of those people did not meet the requirements associated with their immigration status, according to the agency. Authorities then expanded the checks to other people participating in the protest.
In total, the immigration status of 20 people was verified, with 12 identified as potentially inadmissible to Canada.
CBSA has not disclosed how many of those 12 individuals reported to the agency for interviews or what further action, if any, has been taken against them.
Immigration Lawyer Issues Warning
Calgary immigration lawyer Jatin Shori is representing approximately a dozen students who are challenging their rejected work-permit applications in Federal Court.
Shori had advised the students he represents against participating in the public protest.
He said the situation was unusual from an immigration perspective because people who may not currently have valid immigration status were participating in a large public demonstration.
According to Shori, CBSA has the legal authority to investigate information it receives, and the action may also serve as a message regarding enforcement of Canada’s immigration laws.
Could the Students Face Removal?
Shori said that if an individual does not have valid immigration status in Canada, CBSA can require them to attend an interview. In some circumstances, an exclusion order could be a possible next step.
An exclusion order generally requires a person to leave Canada, confirm their departure and, in most cases, prevents them from returning for one year.
However, individuals affected by such decisions can pursue available legal remedies.
Shori said affected students have legal options to challenge immigration decisions, although such cases can be difficult to win. In some circumstances, he said, removal proceedings can move forward within weeks.
New Pressure on International Students
The Calgary action has created another concern for international students already dealing with rejected work-permit applications.
Students are simultaneously pursuing legal and political efforts over their work-permit issues while some participants now face potential immigration enforcement following the CBSA status checks.
Similar protests are also taking place in Edmonton, where some students have reportedly begun hunger strikes to draw attention to their demands.
The Core Dispute Is About Work Permits
At the heart of the controversy is the dispute over access to Post-Graduation Work Permits.
Some students say they chose to study in Canada believing they would be eligible for work permits after completing specific programs. However, changes to immigration policies and differing interpretations of eligibility have resulted in rejected applications.
Portage College has also sought clarification from IRCC, indicating that questions over the policy extend beyond individual student complaints and involve educational institutions as well.
For now, CBSA has confirmed that 12 people were identified as potentially inadmissible, but the final outcomes of their individual cases have not been made public.
It would therefore be premature to say that all 12 individuals will be removed from Canada. Their cases remain subject to the applicable legal and immigration processes, and available legal avenues may still be open to them.
