Canada launches third pilot of Off-Campus Work Permit scheme for international students to private institutions in B.C.

As part of its efforts to make Canada a more attractive choice for international students, Canadian government has now announced to expand the pilot version of its Off-Campus Work Permit (OCWP) program for international students to 11 private institutions in the Province of British Columbia (B.C.).

The OCWP, which allows international students at post-secondary institutions to work off-campus, is recognized as a tool that provides international students with an opportunity to participate in robust labor markets of Canada, gain Canadian work experience, and finally convince many of them to establish career in Canada after graduation. It was launched nationally on April 27, 2006 after a series of successful pilot projects at publicly funded institutions in the provinces and territories.

To extend the OCWP to private institutions on a pilot basis, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) started discussions with interested provinces and territories in December 2006. Following extensive consultations, federal and provincial governments reached on an agreement to implement the project on a province-by-province basis and for only those programs and institutions, including privately-funded post-secondary education institutions, that offer degrees recognized or authorized by that Province or territory.

On September 12, 2007, first pilot project of this series was implemented in the Province of Alberta. As a result of this project, eligible international students who were enrolled in specific qualifying programs at Ambrose University College, Canadian University College, Concordia University College of Alberta, St. Mary’s University College, Taylor University College and Seminary, and The King’s University College became eligible to apply for off-campus work permits.

Just after a day, second pilot project of this series was implemented for eligible international students in qualifying programs at the Canadian Mennonite University, Providence College and Seminary and William and Catherine Booth College in the Province of Manitoba.

Now, on May 20, 2008, third pilot of this series has now been implemented in the Province of B.C. After this expnasion, eligible international students who are enrolled in specific qualifying programs at the following private post-secondary institutions will become eligible to apply for off-campus work permits immediately: Adler School of Professional Psychology, Alexander College, City University, Columbia College, Fairleigh Dickinson University, New York Institute of Technology, Quest University Canada, Sprott-Shaw Community College, Trinity Western University, University Canada West, and University of Phoenix (British Columbia).

Eligible international students at the private post-secondary institutions in participating provinces and territories will be able to work up to 20 hours per week off-campus while classes are in session, full-time during summer and winter breaks, and over their reading weeks. Because OCWP remains valid for up to 90 days after graduation, it will help international students in obtaining an open type work permit of three-year duration with no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement for a job offer under the recently amended Post-Graduation Work Permit scheme for international students.

These pilot expansions of the OCWP will run for a period of four-year following a comprehensive review undertaken by the province.