The new Education Program in Canada likely to attract more international students

International student Subha Chelvam is in Canada to stay. The government of Canada has introduced a new immigration program that is aimed at retaining Canadian-trained students, like Chelvam, in the country after they graduate.

Under the Canadian Experience Class, the government will assist international students to meet the requirements to attain permanent residency in Canada.

Chelvam is a first-year journalism student and comes from an Indian family that lives I Bermuda. Even after working for 17 years in Bermuda, her father is still working on a permit. So, when he heard of the new Canadian immigration program, he encouraged Chelvam to apply to Ryerson and other Canadian universities.

Diana Ning, the coordinator of International Services for Students said that the program comes as breakthrough news in the immigration policy in Canada.

She said that international students are excited with the change as they have better language skills than new immigrants and they have also made the cultural adjustment earlier, so, it would be easy for them to join the task force in the Canadian market.

The program will also extend the post-graduate work permit from one year to three years in Canada. And this would give international students the all important work experience, which is required to become a Canadian citizen.

Meanwhile, the International Services for Students are setting up their own programs in response to the Canadian Experience Class. The department has already developed a Legal and Permanent Residency Support that would help international students through the process of becoming permanent residents.

Lumbomir Halachd, a second year business management student who came to Canada from Bulgaria, following her wife, said that staying in Canada after graduation will provide a good opportunity for students to get jobs that they might not get in their home countries.

Ning said that the government has implemented the new class as an attempt to offset those immigrants who face language and cultural problems and require re-education in various fields to meet the Canadian standards.

Ning said that she believes that this is the better way to go for the Canadian society. What is the need to get people who need time and resources to get themselves trained when we have students who are trained in Canada? she questioned.

Ning said that the new program will likely result in more international students applying to Universities in Canada and this would be of immense help to Canada.