Postgraduate Employment for International Students
A joint federal-provincial pilot project will make it easier for international students who graduate from Nova Scotia colleges and universities to work in the province for an extra year.
The project was announced today, May 6, by Judy Sgro, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Jamie Muir, Nova Scotia's Minister of Education.
"We are pleased to work with our federal partners to expand work experience opportunities for international students in Nova Scotia," said Mr. Muir. "This pilot project will enable students to double their work experience with Nova Scotian employers, and help narrow the skills gap by meeting the needs of Nova Scotia's labour market, as part of the provincial skills strategy, Skills Nova Scotia."
The pilot project, which began on May 3, will allow international students in Nova Scotia to gain an additional year of work experience in their field of study following graduation.
Currently, graduates may work for a maximum of one year in a job related to their studies without having to obtain a confirmation from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. Under this pilot project, work permits can be renewed for a second year, making it easier for graduates to continue working in the province.
"This pilot project will increase Canada's appeal to international students and encourage immigration to Nova Scotia," said Ms. Sgro. "It gives foreign graduates the opportunity to gain Canadian work experience in their field of study that will serve them well when they return to their country of origin or if they choose to remain in Canada as immigrants."
For graduates who wish to apply for permanent resident status as skilled workers, an extra year of employment will provide will provide them with additional experience points on the selection grid. Furthermore, they will be able to submit their application and continue working while awaiting a decision. For these graduates, additional time spent in the province is also likely to result in stronger ties to their communities -- further increasing the likelihood that they will settle in Nova Scotia if they choose to remain in Canada.
Under terms of the project, both the original work permit and its renewal will only apply to work in Nova Scotia for temporary foreign workers who graduated from a publicly funded post- secondary institution in that province. The work must be related to the graduate's area of study.
The pilot project will be in effect for three years during which there will be an ongoing evaluation of the project's impact. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has already signed similar agreements in New Brunswick and Alberta and continues to explore such initiatives in other regions.