E102: Alyanna Chua thinks Canada hasn't been fair to temporary residents & intl students

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In this episode, I'm speaking with the amazing journo, Alyanna Denise Chua, who moved from Philippines to Canada in 2019 to study at University of Toronto.

One of my biggest gripes with the dominant immigrant conversation is we often seem to disregard the human in the loop. Policies change overnight (for good reasons they say), and suddenly folks who have followed all the rules find themselves stranded.

That is Alyanna's story. She moved to Canada, paid 10X the fees of domestic students to study, excelled academically, gained Canadian work experience, and integrated into the country.

She did everything the immigration system told her to do. But by the time she graduated, Canada had moved the goalposts. The same pathway that led to permanent residency now led to... uncertainty.

In this conversation, Alyanna and I explore what it felt like to watch the rules change. We also explore:

* Missing home while building a new life

* Immigrating as a student vs. a PR

* Why Canada's rhetoric shifted from “we want you to stay” to “study doesn't guarantee residency”

* The unfairness of retroactive rule changes

* How Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie inspired her journalism career

Official Links

✅ Connect with Alyanna Denise Chua on LinkedIn

✅ Read her piece on The Walrus; Pay Tuition, Follow the Rules, Then Pack Your Bags

One Ask

If you found this story helpful, please forward or share it to one immigrant out there.

Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.

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