Canada removes limit on study programmes' length for work permit holders

Chandigarh, June 28 (IANS) Now work permit holders in Canada can study full-time or part-time until the expiry of their work permit without needing any study permit -- a major temporary change in policy for three years to keep one ahead of the curve and enhance his or her career prospects.

The Canadian government on Tuesday introduced a public policy that will be beneficial for immigrants, including those from India, to boost their career, job prospects, and chances of permanent residency.

“Every year, thousands of temporary foreign workers bring their skills to Canada, helping to drive our economy and fill critical labour market gaps,” said the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). While they play an important role in Canada’s prosperity, foreign workers sometimes face barriers in the types of study programmes in which they can enrol to pursue their dreams and create new opportunities.

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser announced a new temporary measure that removes the limit on the length of the study programmes that temporary foreign workers can enrol in without a study permit.

Starting immediately, foreign workers will have the opportunity to seek additional training and education that can help them in their careers. Prior to this change, foreign workers could study while working, but only in programmes of six months or less. For longer programmes, they had to apply for a separate study permit. This has been a barrier for those who wanted to improve their education and receive more training, including those needing to upskill or validate their foreign credentials through certain programmes.

With this new three-year temporary measure, foreign workers can study full-time or part-time while their work permits are valid or until the expiration of the policy, with no restrictions on the length of the programme. The temporary measure applies to those who hold a valid work permit or who have submitted an application to renew their work permit on or before June 7, and are authorised to work. If a foreign worker wishes to study longer than the duration of their work permit, they still need to apply for a study permit.

“Temporary foreign workers are incredibly important for the Canadian economy, and many have aspirations that go far beyond the work that initially brings them to Canada. With this policy in place, we hope to empower foreign nationals to improve their skills in order to meet their career goals and achieve their dreams, while providing a future potential source of talent for our labour market,” Immigration Minister Fraser said. “By removing barriers to skills development, we open the door to more foreign-trained doctors and nurses to help take care of our loved ones and support our healthcare system. We also provide a path for construction labourers to become tradespersons, and strengthen our communities and build new homes. This immigration measure helps employers, workers, and our economy by addressing critical labour shortages. This is welcome news for all parties involved.”

Immigration accounts for almost all of Canada’s labour force growth. Roughly 75 per cent of Canada’s population growth comes from immigration, mostly in the economic category.

By 2036, immigrants will represent up to 30 per cent of Canada’s population, compared to 20.7 per cent in 2011. However, this temporary public policy could help more foreign nationals increase the likelihood that they receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry. Candidates may be able to increase their CRS score by, for example, achieving a higher level of education or by gaining qualifying work experience during part-time studies.