New Delhi, April 24
In a move to attract more foreign students, Canada has allowed foreign students to obtain an open work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Programme with no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement for a job offer.
“Effective immediately, and for the first time, these international students would be able to obtain an open work permit under the Post-Graduation Programme, with no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement for a job offer. In addition, the duration of the work permit has been extended to three years across the country. Previously, the programme only allowed international students to work for one or two years, depending on location”, a Canadian High Commission release said here.
“The government of Canada wants more foreign students to choose Canada and we want to help them succeed”, Canadian minister of citizenship and immigration Diane Finley said adding “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”, Finley said. The increased flexibility offered by the expanded programme will benefit graduates and employers alike as the programme will help international students get important work experience while responding to Canada’s labour market needs.
Canada will benefit in the long run as the professional experience gained will help graduates meet the requirements to stay permanently in Canada, the release said.
“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 for immigration to Canada”, Finley pointed out. “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 minister said.
The Post-Graduation Work Permit Programme allows students who have graduated from an eligible programme at a post-secondary institution to gain valuable Canadian work experience. However, international students studying under Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Programme, Government of Canada Awards programme or those receiving funds from the Canadian International Development Agency will not come under the new scheme, the release said.
