Canada Eases Immigration Rules to Allow more Foreign Students

Federal announcement welcomed as a good ‘first step’ in combating labour shortage

Canada is expanding the number of international students granted permanent resident status, while also making it easier for foreign PhD students to gain status through a new federal immigration initiative announced Wednesday.

The announcement was welcomed by Dennis Yim, a Korean international student who wants to stay in Canada after he graduates next month from Vancouver Community College.

Citizenship and Immigration is set to welcome 7,000 temporary skilled workers and international students through the Canadian Experience Class program next year – the largest influx since its launch in 2008.

The CEC allows those studying in Canada, as well as skilled professionals here on temporary foreign worker permits, to jump the queue and obtain permanent residency more quickly and without having to return to their home country to fill out an application.

“I love Canada but sometimes I think they ask too much in order to have permanent residency status. I just want them to make it easier,” said the 21-year-old Yim, who has been studying business at VCC for nearly six years.

Yim said one of the requirements for him to stay in Canada is to have a job in management, which can be difficult to achieve when starting out in the workforce.

“If they don’t make it easier they will lose students,” he said.

As part of the new and expanded initiatives announced Wednesday, the government will start accepting 1,000 international PhD students a year as permanent residents through the Federal Skilled Worker Program as those students have a tendency not to qualify under CEC.

As of Friday, students who’ve completed at least two years of a PhD program and remain in good academic standing at a provincially recognized postsecondary institution will be able to apply.

The decision to increase the number of students accepted is a good “first step,” said Vancouver immigration lawyer Richard Kurland.

“It’s the right direction at the right time and long overdue. It’s one small step in a longer journey. You need young educated people and to revise old [immigration] policies. We can cream off the very best by targeting the students. Other countries might claim we’re in the brain drain game but too bad, that’s global competition,” said Kurland.

He pointed out it’s expected there will be a labour shortage in three years so taking steps to encourage international students to remain in Canada makes sense.

“They are already living here. They know Canadian values and understand work and paying taxes. We need to be encouraging young students to upgrade from temporary to permanent [residency] status,” he said.

Kurland added one of the unnecessary hurdles is requiring students to leave the country in order to apply for permanent residency.

“It’s archaic. What’s the difference between sending in an application from overseas and mailing it within Canada,” he said.

By Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun November 3, 2011