Temporary foreign workers, who were laid off at Smart Technologies in Calgary, could be forced out of the country.

SMART Technologies announced on Tuesday that it was laying off up to 25 percent of its staff by March 2013, including Abhishek Dhawan who was hired from India in August to test software for the company.

"I'm fairly new here. I just completed my probation. But now, my work permit was tied to the employer so I could only work for SMART," said Dhawan.

Calgary immigration lawyer Raj Sharma says those temporary foreign workers have to go through what he calls a convoluted process in order to remain in Canada and only have a few months to do so.

"Unfortunately these individuals will have to approach other companies. These other companies will have to ask for permission to hire foreign workers, and if they get that permission, then these people can apply for another work permit, “said Sharma.

SMART Technologies won't say how many of the 225 terminated positions belong to temporary foreign workers.

The company is known for making interactive whiteboards.