A recent announcement by Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has brought great news for international graduates in the country. More than 40,000 international graduates of Canadian institutions have an opportunity to live and work here with a new pathway to residency.
The programme is a part of a plan to grant permanent residency to more than 90,000 essential workers and international graduates with the skills and experience that Canada needs to battle the pandemic and speed up economic recovery. Overall, the programme will cover three streams that are eligible for permanent status- 40,000 international graduates, 20,000 temporary workers in the health care sector, and 30,000 temporary workers in selected essential occupations.
The graduate scheme considers international graduates who have completed a post-secondary program in Canada within the last four years and not prior to January 2017 as eligible. Additionally, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has stated that the post-graduate work permit rules will also extend to international students forced to study online. The objective is to ensure that they will not miss out on work opportunities.
IRCC has also announced three additional streams for French-speaking or bilingual candidates to promote its official languages. There stream will not have any intake. The pathway is meant to strengthen the presence of the Francophone minority communities in Canada.
With the announcement, Canada moves a step further to become a world-leading study abroad destination for international students from around the globe. They have the opportunity to live and work after completing education and contribute to the economy of the country.
Application intake for the three streams will start on May 6, 2021. For the graduate stream, the application period will end on November 5, 2021, or on receiving 40,000 applications, whichever is earlier. The new PR pathway will help the country to attain its 2021 Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to bring in 401,000 new permanent residents for creating jobs and driving long-term growth.
If you are considering studying abroad why don’t you discuss your prospects and opportunities with experts at Lurnable’s dedicated study abroad counselling division LurnPathways?
