Indian Students Find Canadian Education Enticing

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The changes announced have been made in two areas: the rules that guide a student's eligibility to work during the course of their studies; and their ability to remain and work in Canada once the course is over.

However, there is one important caveat: the rules are applicable only outside the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

These changes are likely to benefit the 6,000-8,000 Indian students currently studying in Canada, plus the additional 2,500 that head there every year.

"These are probably the most significant changes in Canadian student immigration policy in the past five years. It is something that will ensure that Canada is as attractive a destination for potential international students as other competitor countries," says Maria Mathai, manager of Canadian Education Centre in New Delhi, according to Indian media.

Canada currently plays host to over 130,000 foreign students, plus the many who head there to learn English and French.

Until now, international students studying in Canada were not allowed to work outside campus. Students could take up a job only if work experience was a part of their course curriculum--under a co-op or internship program.

Now, foreign students enrolled in publicly funded, post-secondary institutions of full time study will be allowed to work off campus for 20 hours a week during academic sessions and full-time during breaks. This facility will not be available to students enrolled in language courses. Students can apply to work off-campus only after they have completed full time study of two semesters (approximately one year). The work permit will not restrict the areas in which students can be employed and will be an open permit. While the new rule will be applicable from the current academic session, it requires Canada's 10 provinces to sign onto the agreement. Currently, three provinces--Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Quebec - have signed on with the rest expected to follow suit.

"This will actually come into effect when the individual provinces sign onto the agreement. For any universal policy to be implemented, all the provinces have to agree. This policy has been proposed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the immigration arm of the government," said Mathai.

Mathai admits that this change will help students offset the costs of living overseas, but she feels that Canada--which is about 30-40% cheaper than the US and UK--has always been a manageable option for students.

"An average one-year certificate programme with living and tuition would cost about C$20,000, which works out to Rs seven lakh," she says.

For a four-year undergraduate degree, multiply that with four; while a master's degree would be cheaper at about C$35,000, she says. In a second significant departure from past policy, Canada has decided to extend the period of stay allowed under its post-graduation work program to two years, from the one year currently allowed.

Now, post-secondary students--which includes those studying towards degrees, diplomas or certificates--can apply for a work permit (with a two-year duration) if they have successfully completed a program of at least two years of full-time studies apart from other criteria.

"Students who currently hold a one-year post-graduation work permit and who meet the eligibility criteria for a two-year permit can apply for a one-year extension of their work permit," added Mathai.

The change will be implemented with immediate effect. However, there's a catch: in an attempt to attract students and professionals to less-popular parts of the country, the change will not be applicable to students who have graduated from institutions in the three metropolitan areas: Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Students must also find employment outside these areas to be eligible for the additional one year of work experience.

Apart from these three areas, all other parts of Canada will be covered under the new regulations.

As is currently the procedure, students will have 90 days after they graduate to find employment. Once they have a firm offer letter from a Canadian company outside the three metropolitan areas, they can apply for the permit.

According to the CIC website, only students who are engaged in full-time studies at a university, community college, publicly funded trade/technical school or at a private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees may apply for a work permit.