Immigration Canada

University of British Columbia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BY KARL KOFMEL, POSTMEDIA NEWS MARCH 30, 2013

The Canadian government is hoping to corner the market on foreign students by making a significant investment into Canada's education brand.

The recently tabled federal budget directs $10 million over the next two years to the effort - a large increase from the funding it set aside for marketing education from 2007 to 2012, when it budgeted $1 million each year.

Efforts will focus on strengthening the "Imagine Education au/in Canada" brand, a program that aims to promote the high quality of a Canadian education to international students.

Foreign Affairs spokesman John Babcock said the extra funding is a "very positive signal," and that the federal government will continue cooperating with the provinces to strengthen the international education strategy.

Canada is already a top destination for foreign students. According to the budget, some 239,000 students in 2010 contributed $8 billion to the economy, making them a rich vein for colleges and universities to tap.

The University of British Columbia, for instance, has almost 4,000 students from 120 different countries. Foreign students' tuition is, on average, five times higher than what Canadian students pay.

"It's a lot more than about economics," said UBC president Stephen Toope. "They really bring a richness to the educational experience that all Canadian students benefit from."

Jennifer Humphries, vice-president of membership, public policy and communications for the Canadian Bureau for International Education, said the Canadian education strategy to attract these students has several facets.

"The brand is all the things Canada does," said Humphries, adding that immigration regulations, tourism campaigns, the schools themselves and even the Vancouver Winter Olympics are all a part of the marketing effort.

"I still think, and the government seems to agree with us, there needs to be more investment and more work on establishing a brand, because we aren't where we need to be," she said.

The budget also included $13 million for Mitacs Globalink, a Vancouver-based program that matches international research students with schools.

"We're unique in being able to make sure that students are being put into labs that will be really interesting to them," said Arvind Gupta, CEO of Mitacs Globalink. "They know that when they come to us that we will have a good project for them."

The Imagine Education campaign has only been around a short time, so it remains to be seen how it affects recruitment.

The Centre Block on Parliament Hill, containing the houses of the Canadian parliament (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Vancouver, April 2, 2013 — A new, more comprehensive guide and a new web tool to help newcomers settle and integrate in Canada were unveiled today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

CIC’s new flagship publication, Welcome to Canada, is intended to be the official handbook to assist immigrants in preparing to come to Canada and to help them navigate their way during their first months in Canada.

“Our Government is committed to ensuring newcomers to Canada integrate and succeed in the Canadian economy and society as soon as possible,” said Minister Kenney, speaking at the MOSAIC settlement service centre. “The new edition of Welcome to Canada shows our commitment to helping the citizens of tomorrow experience a smoother transition into their new community and into the Canadian workforce.”

Twice as long as the previous edition, the new guide’s content has been built on the foundation of academic research, in consultation with several federal partners and experts in the field of integration, and has been reviewed by new immigrants. The guide features practical information on many different topics including how to access language classes, basic information about Canada’s education system, laws and the justice system, the labour market and much more.

For the first time, the Welcome to Canada guide includes examples of immigrants to Canada who have successfully integrated. The guide was enriched by advice and anecdotes from Nick Noorani, himself an immigrant and an expert who specializes in immigrant integration and career outcomes.

“It is a huge honor and privilege for me to have had a chance to work on this publication,” said Mr. Noorani. “Canada has given me more than I could ever have dreamed of and through my experiences I can help future immigrants succeed in Canada and this guide is a big part of that.”

This is the first time the Welcome to Canada guide has been revamped since it was first introduced in 1997. Like ourDiscover Canada citizenship study guide, Welcome to Canada is available in PDF or E-book format at cic.gc.ca/publications.

In addition, following the resounding success of the Come to Canada Wizard, the online immigration assessment and application tool, Minister Kenney today launched another interactive tool, this time intended for newcomers who have recently arrived in Canada.

The Living in Canada Tool produces a semi-customized settlement plan filled with tips, next steps, and useful links based on user responses to the initial questionnaire. Users can also find local immigrant-serving organizations with the integrated Find Services map, and can bring with them their customized settlement plan for additional, personalized support.

“To help newcomers integrate, the Government has tripled settlement funding since 2005-06 and remains committed to ensuring the distribution of settlement funding is fair, that immigrants receive the same level of service, regardless of where they choose to settle,” said Minister Kenney. “The new Living in Canada web tool helps newcomers find and access language and settlement services quickly upon arrival.”

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