In a move that could jeopardize the future of many Indian students, the Canadian province of Quebec, along with the national government, has decided to tighten the rules on obtaining work permits for certain graduates of non-subsidized private educational institutions.
Under the new measure, which will come into effect on September 1, 2023, students will only be granted access to Quebec’s work permit if they graduate from a subsidized study program at colleges and universities overseen by the provincial government.
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The new scheme will affect thousands of international students who come to Canada to obtain work permits after completing their course, a necessity to obtain permanent residency from the country. From 2016 to 2018, nearly 5,000 students had work permits through such non-subsidized educational institutions. The number has risen sharply between 2019-21 to 11,500 students.
The fees charged by such colleges often range between 15,000 and 25,000 Canadian dollars which is about Rs 9 to 15 lakh in Indian currency.
The route of seeking permanent residency through work permits has been used by many colleges to attract international students, most of whom were from India.
A joint statement by Quebec’s Immigration Minister Jean Boulet and Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser said the move will improve “program integrity” and protect Canada’s reputation as a preferred choice for foreign students. , reported a leading daily newspaper. †
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Canada has become one of the best foreign destinations for Indian students. A 2021 Mentor Conference Poll conducted by Foreign Admits found that 64 percent of total students planning to study abroad wanted to do so in Canada or the US. About 79 percent of students believed that studying at foreign universities would increase their employability and chances of partnering with reputable organizations.
The highest number of such students came from Maharashtra at 16.31 percent. The visitor numbers of the southern states – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu – comprise more than half of the participants at 52.19 percent.
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