Working towards regrowing student visa: Ontario Minister Victor Anthony Fedeli

Bengaluru: The Government of Ontario is working towards improving the student visa situation in Canada, said Victor Anthony Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Government of Ontario, Canada,

Speaking to DH during his recent visit to Bengaluru, the minister said, “We’re working very hard with our federal government. There has been a massive reduction in student enrollment and international student allowance. And it has really taken us aback and has changed the structure of our universities and colleges. We continue to consult with the federal government to regrow our student visas,” he said. 

However, there is “some way to go before a positive change is seen” in this department, he added. 

He believes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has brought a ray of hope. “There appears to be a newfound relationship, where our own prime minister, for the very first time, has said India is a reliable partner. That’s a very profound statement. We’re hoping that this could mean opening up some student visa allowances again. If you’re going to have a comprehensive agreement between both countries, an economic partnership agreement, it should also include training of students,” he said. 

Bengaluru and Ontario complement each other, with both having a strong focus on tech and a rich talent pool, said the minister. “We have 400 AI companies, 85,000 AI employees in Ontario, and 1,800 AI masters enrolled right now. We have 86,000 STEM grads every year in Ontario. We’re adding 20,500 this year alone. We are an excellent location for tech companies in Bengaluru to continue the development of their AI through our expertise,” he elaborated. 

US President Trump’s aggressive approach, especially the H-1B visa changes, has provided Canada with a growing business opportunity, with global companies showing interest in establishing business in the country. 

The minister also shared an interesting investment trend he has noticed in recent times. “What we’re seeing is our pension funds being invested here in India, in Bengaluru too. Whether it’s the public pension funds from our municipal or provincial, or federal employees or whether it’s private pension funds, we’re seeing a tremendous amount of investment here in India,” he explained.