Ontario offers residency to international grad students

TORONTO (CUP) — International students graduating from a master's program in Ontario will no longer need a job offer in order to become permanent residents.

On Sept. 14, the Ontario government announced that international students with a master's degree will now be able to apply for permanent residency under the Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee program. They must demonstrate proficiency in at least one of Canada's two official languages, have lived in Ontario for at least 12 months in the previous two years and have enough money to support themselves until they find work.

Students across the country say the move is a good first step, but many are calling for more action — such as lowered tuition fees and better health coverage — to attract more students and skilled workers from abroad.

“These changes will help Ontario attract the best and brightest international students,” Eric Hoskins, minister of citizenship and immigration, said at the Sept. 14 press conference.

“Our newcomers bring with them talent, expertise and wisdom. Helping them put their skills to work is an economic imperative for a more prosperous Ontario,” he added.

The changes are part of the province's Open Ontario plan, which hopes to increase the number of international students in the province by 50 per cent.

Some students are hoping that the government’s announcement is merely a stepping-stone to more accommodations for students from outside the country.

Samantha Clarke, University of Windsor graduate student society president, completed her undergraduate degree in political science in the United States. Although she is now working towards her master's degree in political science as a domestic student in Windsor, Clarke sympathizes with the unique pressures that international students face.

“I think this is a very positive step for international students. I just hope that it doesn't stop there,” said Clarke.

“There are still several barriers to education here in Canada for international students,” she added, listing deregulated tuition fees and a lack of adequate health care — international students are required to purchase health care through a private company called the University Health Insurance Plan — as some of these barriers.

Hamid Osman, the national executive representative for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, has similar concerns.

“This is a change that is welcomed by the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. It shows that our province recognizes that international students play a role in our colleges and universities,” said Osman.

“But, at the same time, we need to have our government step up and say, ‘If we are going to have an increase of 50 per cent of international students, we shouldn't have a deregulation of tuition fees for international students,” he added. “[And] we should offer them adequate health care."

Currently, there are more than 4,600 international students studying for their master's degrees in Ontario, according to the government of Ontario.

Many of those students will opt to stay in Canada after they graduate, said Osman. The others will become ambassadors of Canada, wherever they go.