Canada will `substantially' boost number it allows, immigration minister says, noting Australia's lead
Feb 21, 2009
Canada will "substantially increase" the number of foreign students it admits this year, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
Foreign students, 176,116 of them in Canada as of the end of 2007, are eligible when their visas expire to apply for the new Canadian Experience Class to become permanent residents... "We are not receiving enough foreign students," Kenney said at a scrum during the conference. "They have a huge advantage because of the Canadian Experience Class. Canada is looking to Asia as well as India for potential students.
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Work Permits Now More Accessible to International Students in Canada
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Wednesday, 23 April 2008
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada Minister Diane Finley recently announced changes to work permit requirements for international students in Canada. The new regulations afford more flexibility to international students who wish to contribute to the Canadian workforce upon graduation from eligible programs at certain Canadian post-secondary institutions.
These graduates will now be eligible for an open work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, which removes the requirement to have a job offer at the time of application and allows the graduate to work for any employer who offers him/her a job. The changes also allow international students the flexibility to work outside of their field of study, whereas previously, they were constrained to that field. In addition, where the program only allowed for work permits of one or two years, the duration of the work permit has been extended to three years across the country. These changes are effective immediately.
"The Government of Canada wants more foreign students to choose Canada and we want to help them succeed," said Minister Finley. "Open and longer work permits provide international students with more opportunities for Canadian work experience and skills development. This will, in turn, help make Canada a destination of choice, and help us keep international students already studying in Canada."
In the global competition for foreign skilled workers, Canada is working to make it easier for international students and foreign workers who are already in Canada with temporary status to become Canadian Permanent Residents. The new Canadian Experience Class category of immigration, which will be rolled out towards the end of the summer, aims to do just that.
"As we move toward the implementation of the Canadian Experience Class, these changes will help create a pool of individuals who, with work experience, will find it easier to apply to immigrate to Canada," added Minister Finley. "Our ability to retain international graduates with Canadian qualifications, work experience and familiarity with Canadian society, will help increase our competitiveness and benefit Canada as a whole."
The changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program will help international graduates meet the requirements to stay in Canada permanently. At least one year of work experience in a managerial, professional, or technical position is required to apply for the Canadian Experience Class.
In 2007, 63,673 international students came to Canada and about 11,000 international graduates received work permits.
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Canada’s government to help temporary foreign workers and foreign student graduates become permanent residents
Waterloo, August 12, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced the details of the Canadian Experience Class, a proposed new avenue for immigration for certain temporary foreign workers and foreign student graduates with Canadian work experience. Unlike other existing programs, this proposal will allow an applicant’s Canadian experience to be considered a key selection factor when immigrating to Canada.
The Canadian Experience Class will allow certain temporary foreign workers and certain foreign student graduates with managerial, professional, or technical or trade work experience to apply to become permanent residents, and eventually Canadian citizens. All applicants, depending on their occupational skill level, will be required to demonstrate either basic or moderate language skills. Proposed regulatory changes have been pre-published in the Canada Gazette for a 15-day comment period. Final regulatory changes will be published following this comment period.
“The Canadian Experience Class is one more measure this government is proposing to make our immigration system more attractive and accessible to individuals with diverse skills from around the world, and more responsive to Canada’s labour market needs,” said Minister Finley. “This new proposed avenue for immigration would also go further to spread the benefits of immigration into smaller centres across Canada.”
Temporary foreign workers and foreign students are generally spread out across the country and contribute to the growth of smaller communities as well as metropolitan areas. Individuals applying for permanent residence through this new avenue could apply from within Canada while continuing to work and continuing to contribute to their local communities.
The Canadian Experience Class comes after a number of recent initiatives the government has undertaken to help newcomers succeed and to help make Canada a more attractive destination for skilled individuals from around the world. These initiatives include changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program; the establishment of the Foreign Credentials Referral Office; increased investments in language training and other programs and services aimed at helping newcomers successfully settle and integrate into their new communities; and, most recently, changes to the immigration system that would allow for priority processing of certain skilled applicants and reduced wait times for those wanting to immigrate to Canada.
Through the Canadian Experience Class, newcomers will be more likely to make the most of their abilities while undergoing a more seamless social and economic transition to Canada. And, in turn, their cultural and economic contributions will enrich Canada.
“Choosing newcomers based on knowledge of our labour market and experience within Canadian society would make Canada a more attractive destination for skilled individuals from around the world,” added Minister Finley. “International students and skilled workers would be more likely to choose Canada if they knew their time in Canada and contribution to Canadian society would assist in their eligibility to apply to stay permanently.”
International Students Can Now Work Off-Campus
News Release - April 27, 2006
International post-secondary students in Saskatchewan will now be able to work off-campus thanks to an Memorandum of Understanding between the Saskatchewan and federal governments.
"This program will provide opportunities for students to feel more connected in the communities where they study as well as gain valuable work experience," Advanced Education and Employment Minister Atkinson said. "International students bring many social and economic benefits to Saskatchewan. It is hoped that many of them will have the opportunity to stay in the province to continue their careers and raise their families here."
"In a global knowledge-based economy we must enhance the experiences our students have while studying at the University of Saskatchewan. This new program will boost our efforts to actively recruit top students both locally and around the globe. Bringing international students to Saskatchewan helps to create a diverse community – one we will all benefit from, and that will help to revitalize our province," University of Saskatchewan president Peter MacKinnon said.
"This is good news," University of Regina president Robert Hawkins said. "It's good for students, because they will be able to work in the community to meet their needs. And by making their lives easier, it will help our efforts to recruit and retain international students as welcome members of our campus community."
"At SIAST, we're very pleased to help our international students qualify for valuable employment opportunities in the province," SIAST president and CEO Dr. Bob McCulloch said. "The program will not only make SIAST a more attractive place for international students to learn but also help address critical short-term labour market needs in Saskatchewan."
Over 2,000 international students attended post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan this year, contributing an estimated $39 million to the province's economy.
To be eligible for the program, international students must complete six months of full-time study at a participating post-secondary institution. They must also maintain acceptable grades and full-time student status. They will be able to work a maximum of 20 hours a week during regular classes. To find out more about the program and who is eligible, visit the Immigration link at www.aee.gov.sk.ca.
International students in exchange programs or who are registered in English or French as a second language courses, as well as those who have received scholarships from the Canadian Commonwealth are not eligible.