I really hope they don't give up on international students' efforts, energy, struggles, sacrifices & lives. We are humans too & deserve to be treated fairly & justly with respect to the work & effort we have put in & continue to put in.
But unfortunately, they are saying that online classes are " non-essential " for entry & are preventing the entry of even those with full approval & visa issued before March 18th. Of course, our lives may be " non-essential " for them, but the reality is we too are humans & they should not be showing this use-&-throw behaviour to us.
I really don't understand one thing - why are they encouraging more & more students to apply for a study permit & why are they issuing the AIP at all, when they are not even allowing those who are exempt with a full approval before March 18th to travel ? Giving lame excuses that online is " non-essential " & thereby preventing the entry of even those with a full approval is nothing but tacitly cheating students.
Seems they are only interested in getting the money that international students pay every step along the way - to IRCC, to the colleges, etc. $22 billion / year is not negligible, but indeed our lives & careers are "non-essential". They want our money but don't want to allow us inside.