Fast-track residency for international graduate students at B.C. universities

Canada, 7th June: International students pursuing graduation at B.C. universities will now be able to avail of a special opportunity by the B.C. government for fast-tracking their permanent residency.

With this announcement by the B.C. government, the foreign students upon graduation will, no longer, require to land a job offer before becoming permanent residents of Canadian province, British Columbia.

The move is a part of the three-year pilot scheme that will help in expansion of PNP (Provincial Nominee Program) of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labor Market Development.

Under this program, all foreign graduates of master programs or PhD programs of B.C. universities in health, natural and applied sciences will get status of immigrant through Canadian immigration and citizenship officials even before getting offer of job in Canada.

Also, an extension has been increased from one year to a period of two years for all international students having got either a diploma or a degree from any Canadian institute situated outside B.C.

Stressing the significant role of high-skilled immigrant graduates for Canadian economy, Canada’s Minister of Advanced Education and Labor Market Development, Moira Stilwell, stated during a press release that attracting and retaining foreign post-secondary students is, undoubtedly, an important means of meeting the future needs of the businesses of British Columbia.

Stilwell added that such high-skilled international graduates can help our province achieve success in a world where knowledge has become the most significant currency. By the year 2020, nearly 950,000 new jobs are expected to arise requiring highly educated and well trained workers and international graduates can prove to be a good source for fulfilling such future opportunities, the Canadian minister added. 

The main aim of this new three-year pilot scheme is to attract and enroll greater number of foreign students in the B.C. PNP (provincial nominee program). At present, out of the total 10,000 immigrants currently enrolled or studying in the B.C. PNP, the percentage of foreign students pursuing graduation is just one percent.

The PNP of B.C. was introduced way back in 2001 through a partnership between the government of B.C. and the federal government enabling the province to select economic migrants and skilled immigrants for fast permanent residency, a press release by the government of B.C. stated.