Foreign service strike stressful for students awaiting visas
Foreign students coming to study in Canada are facing an extra hurdle this year because of a strike by embassy officials who handle visas and study permits.
More than 1,000 Canadian foreign service workers have been off the job for four months in a pay dispute.
Lindy Ann Ephraim, who is from Saint Lucia, only has permission to be in the country until the end of October.
She's trying to get an extension so she can finish her degree at the University of Calgary.
“If I don't renew on time I would have to leave Canada because it is illegal to overstay your permit,” she said.
In a written statement, the Department of Citizenship and Immigrations said visa offices are open with limited staffing, but students can also submit their applications online.
Ephraim said she will try her luck with an online application.
“It is very nerve wracking but I have a bit of faith. It’s a very serious situation for us. If I don't renew it, then I'm out. So I have to get it done,” she said.
The university will make concessions for students who are delayed because of problems with their documentation, said associate vice-provost David Johnston.
“We'll provide additional resources so they will get an appropriate orientation and get caught up,” he said.
