International students now eligible for PGWP with online courses.

Online course work will not spell ineligibility for international student graduates seeking Canadian work experience.

By Kareem El-Assal And Shelby Thevenot

International students starting their Canadian study program in the coming weeks will not be penalized for online coursework if they eventually apply for a Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

The PGWP allows international students to work in Canada for up to three years. It is a way to get Canadian work experience, which is highly valued in economic class immigration programs that lead to permanent residence.

Canadian government research shows that those with Canadian experience prior to becoming permanent residents tend to integrate quickly into the labour market. As such, many of Canada’s more than 80 economic class immigration programs reward candidates who have Canadian experience with extra points, or are geared specifically for international students.

Under normal circumstances, international students must have continuously studied full time in Canada in a program that is at least eight months long in order to be eligible for this work permit. Studying online could render an applicant ineligible for a PGWP.

This temporary reform is yet another step taken by Canada to make its immigration policies more flexible and avoid disrupting the plans of immigration clients during a period in which it is seeking to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Given that many courses were forced to move online in accordance with coronavirus prevention measures, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is allowing international students enrolled in these courses to be eligible for a PGWP.

This also includes students who have a study permit, or who were approved for a program starting in May or June, but who are unable to travel to Canada amid travel restrictions.

International students in this predicament can begin their classes while outside Canada and may complete up to half of their program while abroad if they cannot travel to Canada sooner.

International students who were approved for a study permit after March 18 are currently not exempt from Canada’s travel ban, which is set to be in place until June 30.

IRCC’s temporary reform will be welcomed by the many international students who wish to eventually transition to permanent residence.

According to a survey by the Canadian Bureau for International Education, 60 per cent of Canada’s international students indicate this desire. Obtaining a PGWP is an important stepping stone for such students as it enables them to gain the Canadian experience they often need to become eligible for an economic class immigration program.

In 2018, one-quarter of the nearly 90,000 people who received an invitation to apply under Express Entry were former international students.

Source: CIC News

Renewing work and study permits without flagpoling

By Stephen Sherman

Temporary coronavirus measures make it impossible to renew Canada work and study permits by crossing the U.S. border.

As a result of Canada’s directives aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus, foreign nationals can no longer apply for a temporary visa, such as a work permit, study permit or visitor visa, by flagpoling.

Flagpoling refers to a process whereby foreign nationals inside Canada go to the Canada – US border, enter the US briefly, and then apply for a visa upon re-entering Canada.

There are a few key advantages to applying for a visa through this method, and each highlights the additional care and attention that must be given to applications now that flagpoling is not an option.

Bypassing processing times

When a visa application is submitted through the consulate or at a visa office, processing times can be lengthy, depending on the type of visa and where the application is submitted.

By contrast, when you flagpole, your visa application is processed on the spot so you typically know the result of your application that same day.

Because this is not possible now, it is important that visa applications be done right the first time. It would be a waste of time to submit an application only to find out weeks later that a document was missing or an incorrect form was filled out. The additional processing time could have dire consequences in time-sensitive immigration situations.

Easier application process

When you flagpole you do not need to worry about where to submit your application, or whether to apply online or on paper. Instead, you hand the required documents to a person standing in front of you, and the visa application is processed while you are physically present. If there is a document missing or the incorrect fee was paid, the immigration officer can let you know and the error can be rectified without delay.

Now that flagpoling is not an option, a trivial mistake or a simple clerical error can cause an application to be delayed. It is essential to submit an application to the correct visa office in the correct manner. Failure to do so could result in wasted application fees and wasted time, not to mention potential refusals that could have been easily avoided.

You can make your case beyond the contents of your application

When you are flagpoling, you are dealing face to face with a human being. So if there are doubts about your eligibility or questions about your intentions to apply for a particular visa, these can be discussed with the authority who will decide the outcome of your application.

Without flagpoling there is no opportunity to explain the particulars of an application, nor is there the chance to refute a potential motive of refusal put forth by the immigration officer. The understanding and clarification that can be provided through dialogue is lost without that personal interaction. As it stands now, applying for a visa is a more formal process in which there is less leeway in terms of subjective assessment and the discretion of the immigration officer plays a less important role.

For all the reasons mentioned above, now more than ever it is important to submit a perfect application. Be as clear as possible with respect to the satisfaction of the eligibility criteria. Do not leave room for the immigration officer to doubt as to why you are seeking the particular type of visa for which you are applying, or why you are using a certain application method.

Because the application process involves no face to face human interaction, visa officers are likely to be less forgiving in the consideration of applications. Also, there is far less room for error when completing and submitting these applications.