Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Canada makes a move to get more students
Jax
PS they should have let the students stay for three years so that they can apply for citizenship. That way we get a younger work force.
Measures to attract more international students to Canada by allowing them to work off-campus and stay on for two years after graduation were announced by the country's government this week.
The bid to boost international student numbers from the present 50,000 to a possible 70,000 underlines the increasing competition faced by UK universities in the global market for English language degrees.
Almost all British universities are dependent on earnings from overseas students, particularly those from China and India. They have warned the government that increased visa charges are sending out the wrong message.
Last year, the number of students from countries outside the UK studying at British universities increased by 9%, jumping from 275,270 to 300,055. But, in this academic year, vice-chancellors have reported slowing demand, with several institutions missing targets.
Meanwhile, Canada, which is seeking not only to increase student numbers but to attract graduates to settle in its wide open spaces, is expanding two pilot schemes to "help make Canada a destination of choice for international students". The government is spending $10m (Canadian) over the next five years on the initiative.
Joe Volpe, the minister of citizenship and immigration, announced that international students at public universities and colleges would be allowed to work off-campus while completing their studies so that they could experience the Canadian labour market and gain a wider understanding of Canadian society.
The second initiative will allow students to work for two years, rather than one year, after their graduation - as long as they take jobs outside the magnet cities of Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver.
Other measures to make life easier for foreign students include allowing them to transfer between programs of study and institutions without applying for a change to the conditions of their study permit.
"We have been listening to our stakeholders and are certain that these initiatives will help increase the global competitiveness of Canada by attracting and retaining more international students to our schools," said Mr Volpe.
"International students who choose to stay in Canada after they graduate greatly contribute to our labour market. It is important that they be exposed to the Canadian workforce at an early stage to increase their chances of success following graduation.
"Whether they choose to stay in Canada or return to their home country, they will have acquired Canadian experience and values that will enrich their lives. They will also spread the word about the quality of education Canada has to offer," added the minister.
A report last year by the Canadian Bureau for International Education, an umbrella group representing both educational institutions and corporations, found that a majority of international students wanted to work while pursuing their studies.
Nearly half were having financial problems because students, except for those in three pilot projects, were restricted to working on their campuses, reported the Higher Education Chronicle.
Most international students in Canada come from South Korea, followed by China, Japan, the US and France. (Link)
