Immigration Canada

Canada Opening Doors to Record Number of International Students

Happy Canada Day (Photo credit: Anirudh Koul)

2012 was a record-breaking year for the Canadian educationsystem. For the first time in the country’s history, over 100,000 permits were issued to new international students. This is an example of Canada’s growing reputation as a global magnet for students of all disciplines from around the world.

Canada’s popularity amongst international students has seen a sharp rise in recent years. 2012’s figures were a full 60% increase from 2004, and the number of new students has the capacity to increase by 7% every successive year. In total, there are currently around 260,000 international students in Canada today, studying both full- and part-time.

What Contributes to Canada’s Popularity?

The government of Canada has worked hard to attract, in the words of former Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, “the world’s best and brightest young minds”. In the global competition for the world’s future leaders and innovators, Canada’s reasons for success are many:

Good Schools – Canada is home to some of the world’s leading educational institutions at all levels of study. McGill University, located in Montreal, is consistently voted one of the 20 best universities in the world. Students in Canada can study in English, French, or often in both languages thanks to the country’s official policy of bilingualism.

Cost of Living – Compared to countries like the US and Britain, the cost of living in Canada is significantly less expensive, easing the financial burden of students during and after studies.

High Acceptance Rate – 81% of study permit applicants receive their Canadian study permits.

Permit Processing Rules – Canada will soon introduce new rules that will restrict the issuance of study permits to only students studying at institutions that have been approved by their province or territory. This will help maintain the integrity of Canada’s work permit program and ensure a smooth study process for students.

Post-Graduation Options – Many graduates from Canadian educational institutions can remain in the country as temporary workers and become permanent residents if they so choose.

After Graduation

After graduating from a Canadian educational institution, students have a number of options before them. Many return to their home countries, where they will use their newly acquired skills to excel in their chosen professions. However, many remain in Canada to live and work for an extended period of time.

“Students who stay in Canada after graduations are a win-win situation,” said Attorney David Cohen. “They are able to begin careers in our thriving economy, while Canada benefits economically from their experience. It is no wonder the country has worked hard to streamline immigration processing for international students graduating from Canadian schools.”

Many students are able to leverage their time in Canada as a stepping stone to permanent residency. Make sure to tune into the next issue of CIC News, where we will explore the different ways in which this is possible.

Source:http://www.cicnews.com/2013/07/canada-opening-doors-record-number-international-students-072646.html

Quebec Announces Major Changes to Immigration Programs

English: Québec Province within Canada. Español: Provincia de Quebec en Canadá. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

80.1 percent of the people of Quebec speak French as their first language. In total, about 97.4 percent are able to speak French. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Government of Quebec has officially announced changes to language rules for immigration through the Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) program. This announcement was made in the Gazette Officielle du Quebec/The Quebec Gazette on Wednesday, July 17th 2013.

In addition to modifying language criteria, the government has announced its intent to institute a cap on application intake and to publish a new list of areas of training/fields of study.

Language Rules

Applicants applying to the skilled worker stream of the QSW program can receive a maximum of 22 points for language skills. Up to 16 points are awarded for French proficiency, and up to 6 for English.

French points are assessed on a scale from A1 (beginner) to C2 (advanced/fluent). Previously, points could be claimed for any level of proficiency in listening and speaking. This began with 1 point for A1 level and a maximum of 8 points for a C1 or C2 level for each proficiency.

The points system has been changed so that, moving forward, no points will be awarded until the B2 (advanced intermediate) level. In addition, applicants will now have the opportunity to earn points for reading and writing proficiency. Up to 1 point can be earned in each of these categories.

The charts below illustrates the new points breakdown:

English proficiency has similarly changed. Points for English language skills will not be awarded until the Intermediate level, or levels 5-8 according to government criteria:

It is important to note that applicants would not be disqualified for possessing less than B1 proficiency in French or English. The QSW application is assessed on a points system, and it is possible for an applicant to achieve sufficient points without being awarded points for their language skills.

These language rules will be effective for new applicants beginning August 1st, 2013. The rules will be effective retroactively for submitted files for which preliminary processing has not already begun. What constitutes ‘preliminary processing’ has not been made clear in the government’s announcement.

Proposed Changes

Two additional changes, proposed a week prior, have not yet been made official.

The first will place a cap of 20,000 on application intake for the QSW program. The second will involve publishing a new list of eligible areas of training/fields of study. Currently, applicants to the skilled worker stream of the QSW must have training in one of 110 areas of training/fields of study. This list corresponds to occupations the government has identified as in-demand in the Quebec.

What Applicants Should Know

French language ability has always played a significant role in the QSW program, Quebec’s largest immigration program. English proficiency remains important, however, and maximum points for English language skills have not diminished under this new system.

“These changes reflect the emphasis Quebec places on language proficiency. The government believes that speaking Canada’s official languages is an essential tool for economic and social integration into the province,” said Attorney David Cohen.

Attorney Cohen added that “while language proficiency is indeed important, not all applicants need these skills to qualify for immigration. Others with limited skills may be able to attain a higher level through language study. As always, Canada’s immigration system awards immigrants who are organized and motivated to come here.”

It is unknown when the Quebec Government will officially release the new list of areas of training/field of study but it is safe to say it will be on or before August 1st, 2013.

Source: http://www.cicnews.com/2013/07/quebec-announces-major-immigration-programs-072652.html