This message is being sent on behalf of *Pam Trupish:*

Hi All: Please see below a recent announcement from the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration regarding changes to the Postgraduate Work Permit process. In summary, the changes include:

1. extension from a 2 year permit period to a *3 year.*
2. graduating students are *not required to present a job offer* at the point of application.
3. students will be provided with an *“open work permit” *and no longer restricted to work within their field of study.
4. students already holding a postgraduate work permit under the previous rules are *eligible to reapply for an extension.*
5. the *removal of the Montreal,* *Toronto, and Vancouver* as employment restriction areas.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2008/2008-04-21.asp

Please _share this important notice_ with members of your faculty. International students will be advised of these changes through the ICS and their faculty academic advisors. If you or a member of your faculty have any questions, please contact me.

Pam Trupish
Executive Assistant to the VP Academic
and Director of Immigration Services
University of Manitoba
208 Administration Building
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2
Telephone: (204) 474-8399
FAX: (204) 275-1160

-- 
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/