INTERNATIONAL STUDENT POST-GRAD PROGRAM EXPANDED

NEWS RELEASE
COMMUNIQUÉ

For Immediate Release
2011RESD0005-000156
Feb. 22, 2011

Ministry of Regional Economic and Skills Development
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT POST-GRAD PROGRAM EXPANDED

VANCOUVER – International students at some of British Columbia’s private educational institutions will have the opportunity to gain Canadian work experience after graduation, thanks to a new pilot project.

The announcement was made today by Alice Wong, Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism and Member of Parliament for Richmond, and B.C. Minister of Regional Economic and Skills Development Ida Chong. It marks the next step in the Government of Canada’s strategy to attract international students. Since 2005, the number of foreign students coming to Canada has increased by 25 per cent, with a total of 85,140 entries in 2009.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to attract international students to Canada and retaining them after they graduate,” said Parliamentary Secretary Wong. “With this pilot project, we are continuing to build Canada’s standing as a destination of choice for international students.”

“In the next decade, B.C. will have more than a million job openings, and immigration is going to be a key factor in our ability to fill them,” said Minister Chong. “By expanding this program to private institutions, we’re giving more international students an opportunity to work and potentially to choose British Columbia as their place to call home.”

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program already allows students who have graduated from an eligible program at a post-secondary institution to gain valuable Canadian work experience. Under the program, graduates can apply for open work permits for up to three years, depending on the length of time they studied. Until now, only international students at public universities and colleges and private degree-granting institutions were able to apply.

With the implementation of this two-year pilot project on January 31, graduates of private post-secondary institutions with career training programs that have received the British Columbia Education Quality Assurance (EQA) designation are also able to apply for an open work permit.

“International graduates with Canadian education, Canadian work experience, and an ease and familiarity with Canadian society are often excellent candidates to apply for permanent resident status through the Canadian Experience Class,” stated Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

The Government of Canada is committed to giving Canadian educational institutions a competitive edge in attracting international students and recent initiatives, including online application services, the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program and the Off-Campus Work Permit Program, have been very successful in doing so.

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BACKGROUNDER

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program pilot project

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program has been extended to include graduates of private post-secondary institutions with career training programs that received their Education Quality Assurance (EQA) designation before the pilot project’s start date of January 31, 2011, and continue to maintain their EQA status.

The pilot project will remain in effect for two years, with the possibility of extension.

Any future extension will be based on analysis of the project and would require agreement between Citizenship and Immigration Canada and B.C.’s Ministry of Regional Economic and Skills Development.

If initial results are positive, the project may be expanded to additional schools after the first year.

It is estimated that under the pilot project, between 675 and 950 international graduates will apply for post-graduation work permits in the first year.

B.C.’s Education Quality Assurance is a voluntary quality assurance designation that identifies B.C. public and private post-secondary institutions that have met or exceeded provincial government recognized quality assurance standards and offer consumer protection.