A new plan for international students

Experts offer their takes on what could be done to improve the postgrad work-permit process

- NICHOLAS KEUNG

Immigration Minister Marc Miller attends a citizenship ceremony in Surrey, B.C., this month. He has hinted at changes to postgraduation work permits.

For more than a decade, international students have been able to pursue any post-secondary program and still be eligible for an open work permit upon graduation whether or not their studies are relevant to what the Canadian economy needs.

But that's about to change.

With a cap in place to rein in the number of international students, Immigration Minister Marc Miller has already hinted at coming changes to the rules on postgraduation work permits.

Those permits have helped make Canada a top destination for foreign students and have been blamed for the country's runaway international enrolment growth. But experts say Ottawa needs to use them as tools for Canada's labour market needs, and to provide a clearer path to permanent residence.

"When it comes to international students and the issuance of postgraduate work permits, it's clear that the work is not done on that end," Miller told a news conference after a recent meeting his provincial counterparts.

"Provinces said that they need postgraduate work permits (to) have a longer date for people that are in the health-care sector and in certain trades. And I simply said to them, 'Bring us the data and we'll be accommodating.'"

The access to an open work permit to remain in Canada after graduation has been a strong incentive for people to come study here, as the immigration system has increasingly drawn on candidates already in the country to be permanent residents. It rewards those with Canadian education credentials and work experience.