1. Important Changes
to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program: On Monday, April
21, 2008, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced significant
changes
to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program. All program changes
are effective immediately. The
most notable changes to the program include:
1. Students
will
no
longer require a job offer to apply for a Post-Graduation Work
Permit.
2. Post-Graduation Work
Permits will now be open (i.e., they will not be restricted
to
a specific employer or location).
3. Post-Graduation Work
Permits will be valid to a maximum of three years, depending on
the length of the student's academic program
4. The maximum validity
of a Post-Graduation Work Permit will no longer be reduced for
students
who studied in or will work in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Please note that students
will
still be required to show evidence that they have completed their
degree
requirements and they must submit their Post-Graduation Work Permit
applications
within 90 days of completing their degree requirements. Students
who currently hold valid Post-Graduation Work Permits that were issued
under the old rules may apply for extensions under the new program
rules.
Updated Post-Graduation Work Permit application materials can be found
at:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/work-students.asp.
For more information, students are encouraged to meet with an
International
Student Advisor at ICS (541 University Centre). Information about
the program changes can also be found on the Citizenship and
Immigration
Canada web site at: Media Release: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2008/2008-04-21.asp
and Background Information: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2008/2008-04-21.asp.
--
Martha Blouw, Administrative Assistant
Department of Plant Science
226 Agriculture Building
66 Dafoe Road
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2
Phone: (204) 474-8223 Fax: (204) 474-7528
martha_blouw@umanitoba.ca
http://www.umanitoba.ca/afs/plant_science/