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Canada Adds Seven More Countries to Student Direct Stream for Faster Study Permit Processing

Source: Government of Canada

Canada introduced their Student Direct Stream (SDS) in 2018 in order to process study permit applications from certain countries faster. At the time, international students from only China, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines were eligible. A year later Morocco, Pakistan, and Senegal were added to the list. Seven more countries were added to the list recently bringing the total to 14.

Students applying through the SDS are asked to provide extra information when they apply. This enables officers to better assess their application and process it faster than a non-SDS application.

In 2019, Canada issued 16,000 study permits to students from the newly eligible countries. In fact Brazil and Columbia were responsible for 10,000 and 4,400 respectively.

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marco Mendicino said, “By expanding the Student Direct Stream to a more diverse range of prospective students, we have great optimism that international education will recover, and indeed flourish, as Canada emerges from the pandemic.”

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International Student Destinations in Ontario That Aren’t Toronto

Source: Study International

When asked what the most populated city in Canada is, most international students will correctly say Toronto. With a number of universities and college campuses located in the city it’s easy to see why they would also consider Toronto a top study abroad destination. However if a busy metropolis isn’t quite your style there are other places in the province of Ontario you might want to call home while you complete your overseas education.

Southwest of Toronto are the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge; collectively known as KWC. Home to institutions like Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo, students from around the world are choosing this area for the opportunity to earn a world-class education. Colleges in the region, like Conestoga College, are also witnessing a rise in foreign learners on their campuses as well.

Moving east across the province, Kingston is also hosting more study permit holders than in years past. The number of international students in the city is ten times what it was just three years ago. St. Lawrence College and Queen’s University both have growing international programs and deserve a look from potential future students.

Whether students are considering Kingston, the KWC region or other cities like St. Catherine’s or Sudbury, it is important to know about emerging study abroad destinations. More options becoming available increases the likelihood of students finding an environment that they feel comfortable in. With so many top-tier institutions found around the province, Ontario is showing that they have more places than just Toronto where students can call home.

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Manitoba to Attract International Students to Fill Skills Gap

Source: The PIE News

In a bid to prepare for future changes in the labour market, the Canadian province of Manitoba recently published their Skills, Talent and Knowledge strategy for post-secondary institutions. The government hopes to make sure that education and training programs suit the needs of industry while students in the province are able to work there after graduation.

The provincial government hopes to improve the reputation of Manitoba as a top-tier study abroad destination in Canada as well as among the prairie provinces. It is currently the fifth most popular Canadian province for overseas education. While more than 21,000 international students were at Manitoba institutions as of 2017, both Saskatchewan and Alberta recently put forth plans to increase their own numbers.

The federal government hopes that foreign learners discover these provinces so different Canadian communities can develop and benefit from all the things that students traveling from abroad have to offer. Current statistics show that students from other countries are most attracted to major Canadian cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. A rise in numbers in other parts of the country would offer more balanced population growth and a solution to potential talent shortages in the years to come.
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International Students Discuss Studying Abroad During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The thought of studying abroad during a global pandemic may seem daunting to many. However international students in countries around the world are managing as best they can while they pursue their higher education overseas. In the above video, THE Student asked five overseas students about their university experiences in the age of COVID-19.

The students highlighted a rage of topics from what the visa application process was like to advice on making friends in online lectures. They also shared their most important tips for anyone who is thinking about their own study abroad experience in the future.
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International Education Week – Saskatchewan Plans to Attract More International Students

Saskatchewan to strengthen the province as a destination for international students and researchers post pandemic

In an initiative to attract more international students, the province of Saskatchewan is pleased to observe International Education Week from November 16-20, 2020.

“International education is an important driver for Saskatchewan’s economic and cultural growth,” Advanced Education Minister Gene Makowsky said. “By connecting Saskatchewan and Canada to other parts of the world, students have the unique opportunity to develop new skills and learn to think globally to position the province for the future.”

Like almost all other provinces in Canada this year has been challenging for universities and in general the education sector. Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, international students contributed more than $222 million each year to Saskatchewan’s economy. While constrained in these unprecedented times, the province is taking steps to be a market of choice post-pandemic.

Saskatchewan recognises that strengthening the province as a destination for international students and researchers through a strategy is going to be a key component of the province’s growth plan. The province will be focusing on three goals:

  • Increasing the number of international students in Saskatchewan
  • Increasing the number of Saskatchewan students studying abroad
  • Increasing the number and value of international research partnerships

The University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina are known for excellence in research. In 2018-19, $19 million was provided to Saskatchewan researchers to fund more than 4,100 internationally co-authored published papers. University faculty across the province engage in global research and contribute to a vast array of topics that impact the world.

International Education Week is celebrated in more than 100 countries to raise awareness and understanding of the benefits of international education. To learn more about International Education Week, please visit: http://cbie.ca/upcoming-events/international-education-week

Source: https://www.yorktonthisweek.com/regional-news/interational-education-week-in-sask-1.24239923

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Study Suggests STEM-Educated Students Have Higher Chances of Employment in Canada

Statistics Canada compares economic outcomes of STEM-educated immigrants in Canada and the U.S.

Immigrants make up a large share of university-educated workers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) fields in both Canada and the U.S., and a more recent study looked into which of the two countries see better outcomes for immigrants in these sectors.

The study found that a higher percentage of Canada’s STEM-educated workforce are immigrants compared to the U.S. The number of STEM-educated immigrants who entered Canada rose significantly during the 1990s in response to the high-tech boom, and has remained at high levels since then. In general, Canada does not face a shortage of STEM workers, the study suggests.

As a standard practice, when there’s an abundance of workers, employers may tend to hire STEM graduates from universities that they are familiar with, and who have experience from countries with similar economies to Canada. Thereby, giving more advantage to STEM workers who have studied in Canada.

Canada’s points-based immigration system, which has been in use since the 1960s, selects economic immigrants based on their human capital. These days, the Express Entry system ranks candidates based on factors like education, work experience, age, and language ability. The highest-scoring candidates get invited to apply for permanent immigration. Though candidates can get extra points for having a job offer, in some cases, it is not required in order to immigrate to Canada. Canadian employers play a larger role in immigrant selection in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) federal immigration program, as well as many Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), than compared to the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The study found that STEM-educated immigrants that immigrate through the CEC do relatively well compared to others, and those who go through the PNP typically have the poorest outcomes. One major difference is that the CEC requires immigrants to have at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada, whereas the PNP is more varied, and includes pathways for low-skilled and medium-skilled workers to become permanent residents.

Country of education may differ significantly among STEM-educated immigrants in Canada and the U.S. STEM immigrants educated in non-Western countries do not do as well, economically, as others. The study suggest this is for a number of reasons, for example, the quality of education may be lower, or perceived to be lower. In the absence of a shortage of STEM workers, employers may prefer to hire those educated in Western counties. Also, some credentials are not recognized by professional associations in the host country, either for valid or invalid reasons, and this may prevent immigrants from developing countries from getting STEM jobs. Language or cultural issues may also prevent immigrants from being able to use their STEM education.

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How to Study in Canada Without Leaving Home

With international travel still difficult for much of the world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada recently took steps to make it easier for students to begin studying at Canadian colleges and universities via the Internet while still in their home countries. They began by addressing overseas students with questions about how they could obtain a post-graduate work permit after completing their studies.

In regards to the change they made earlier in the year that made it able for students to apply for permits without all of the required paperwork, they reinforced that this is still the case but complete applications will be processed first.

They continued on to explain what is required to have an application pass both the Eligibility and Admissibility stages.

For future updates, be sure to follow the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship on Twitter and the official Canada Campus Visits social media accounts as well.

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Canada Remains Committed to International Students

Image Credit: CEA Study Abroad

Sources: The Government of Canada, University World News, Academica Top Ten

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the Fall 2020 semester across Canadian colleges and universities, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been working so international students who were approved to come to the country can still begin their study abroad programs from home.

Travel restrictions were previously eased for students that had already secured study permits. Since then we have seen international students already in Canada be granted the ability to work up to 40 hours each week in order to help them earn more and bolster the numbers of individuals working in essential services.

For students still in the application stage of coming to Canada, IRCC recently announced that they will not turn away students who are unable to provide certain required documents. Recent graduates applying for their work permits are also receiving a similar benefit.

It is clear that the Canadian government values the role that overseas students play in both their economy and culturally diverse society. By working with higher education institutions to re-imagine the study abroad experience, they hope to encourage foreign students to pursue their dreams of seeing the world while furthering their education.

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Navigating Canada’s Immigration Website

Source: Study International | Image Credit: Client Liaison

The website for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can be tough to navigate if you haven’t done so before. The site is aimed at different groups of people who are often looking for very different types of information. If you are a student looking to visit Canada, it is a website you will need to be familiar with.

If visiting Canada for less than six months, you might require a visitor/temporary resident visa, an Electronic Travel Authorization or just a valid passport. If you are unsure of the type of document you will need before your next trip to Canada, you can find out here. If you later decide to study in Canada, a study permit can be obtained through the website here. Information on international student scholarships, extending a student visa and applying for a student work visa is also available.

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Canada Adds Pakistan to Its Expedited Student Visa Program

Source: ICEF | Image Credit: Telenor Pakistan

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada recently added Pakistan to their Student Direct Stream (SDS) initiative. The program aims to streamline the visa application process for students from specific countries. Other SDS eligible nations are India, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. The Government of Canada claims that through the SDS, student visas can be processed in less than three weeks.