March 4th, 2021 Ottawa
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced faster permanent residency pathways for Hong Kong residents, including those currently studying in Canada. This announcement comes in response to the “new National Security Law and deteriorating human rights situation [in Hong Kong].” UCRU echoes this statement and condemns the deterioration of democratic rights in Hong Kong and the unlawful detainment of Hong Kong activists. Further to these concerns, Canada has recently voted to recognize China’s treatment of its Uighur minority as genocide. As this situation continues to evolve, UCRU applauds the government’s efforts to support our international students. Hong Kong residents who have graduated from a post-secondary institution in Canada can now apply directly for permanent residence. More information has yet to become available but UCRU is appreciative of the federal government’s efforts to reduce barriers for international students to become permanent residents.
UCRU would also like to highlight the impact of recent events on students’ academics. The anti-democratic actions taken by the Chinese government affect the mental wellbeing of students who are concerned by the events. This is magnified for students who may have family and friends directly affected by these injustices.
UCRU encourages students to learn more about the #Save12HKYouth campaign and continue to spread the word.
The Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities is a pragmatic, evidence-driven advocacy alliance of nine student associations dedicated to high-quality, affordable and accessible education, and represents over 250,000 undergraduate university students across Canada.