Canadian universities have confirmed their continued assistance to their Saudi students to overcome the political crisis between the two countries, and Canadian students still sympathize with thousands of Saudi students who have returned home.
University student Noah Oak said the students had nothing to do with what was going on between governments. He added that the Saudi government's request for students to return from Canada was unfair, "if I were to be confused and embarrassed."
"The vast majority of Saudi students wanted to stay and finish their studies, but the government of their country decided to return," said Professor Wilson Wiseman, a professor of international relations at the University of Toronto. "I think that has resonated within Saudi Arabia. .
The University of Toronto has confirmed that Saudi Arabia has suspended scholarships for 16,000 students across Canada's universities while promising a number of Canadian universities to help its students complete their studies and overcome their plight.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) said that 20 Saudi students applied for asylum in Canada, after the deadline for return.