Our Mission
Welcome to our page, amplifying the real immigration experiences of students at TRU and beyond.
For many students at TRU Kamloops, immigration plays a significant role in their academic experience, but it is frequently more difficult than it seems. International students encounter a complicated system that includes lengthy processing timeframes, unclear student visa criteria, and ambiguity regarding permanent residency (PR), even if studying in Canada offers worthwhile opportunities. In the hopes of establishing a future in Canada, many students devote years of time, money, and emotional energy to their studies, only to run across obstacles like delays, rejections, or abrupt policy changes. Mental health and financial stability can be severely impacted by the strain of upholding legal status, renewing permits, and juggling academic obligations with immigration requirements. Beyond the success tales, immigration has a darker side that includes emotions of insecurity, exploitation, and false information. In addition to offering factual information and a friendly environment for TRU students navigating the reality of the immigration system, this webpage seeks to increase awareness of these concerns.
Latest Stories
Between Classes and Café Shifts: The Reality of International Student Life
An international student shares her experience balancing work, study and immigration uncertainty When Riya Patel arrived in Kamloops in fall 2023, the biggest challenge wasn’t academics – it was adjustment. Coming from India, she faced a 12-and-a-half-hour time difference, culture shock, and the sudden reality of living alone for the first time. “I was completely…
Federal Immigration Changes Reshape Thompson Rivers University’s International Landscape
Recent changes to Canadian immigration policy are having a profound impact at Thompson Rivers University (TRU), as declining international enrolment and tighter study permit regulations ripple through programs, staffing, and long-term planning. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) plans to reduce “Canada’s temporary population to less than 5% of the total population by 2027.” According…
Land Acknowledgement
Thompson Rivers University acknowledges the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc
(Kamloops campus) within Secwépemc’ulucw, reside on the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc. TRU also acknowledges the territories of the St’át’imc, Nlaka’pamux, Tŝilhqot’in, Nuxalk, and Dakelh Peoples, on whose traditional territories we are privileged to live, work, and play. Through our work we are committed to incorporate Indigenous epistemologies, pedagogies and ontologies into our actions and understandings, supporting decolonization, reconciliation, and Indigenization.