Charlottetown, September 2, 2008 - The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and the Honourable Richard Brown, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning for Prince Edward Island, today announced a pilot expansion of the Off‑Campus Work Permit (OCWP) Program for international students attending the Maritime Christian College in Charlottetown.
Effective immediately, eligible international students studying at the Maritime Christian College can now apply for off-campus work permits. Previously, only international students at public universities and colleges in the province were able to apply. There are currently three public institutions on Prince Edward Island participating in the program: Holland College; the Société éducative de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard; and the University of Prince Edward Island.
"The Government of Canada is committed to helping newcomers succeed. This new pilot program will provide international students with an opportunity to get work experience in Canada and contribute to the local economy," said Minister Finley. "Giving students access to off-campus work permits also gives Canadian institutions a competitive advantage for attracting the best and brightest international students."
On April 21, 2008, the Government of Canada announced that, under the Post-Graduation Work Permit program, international students will be able to obtain for the first time an open three-year work permit with no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement for a job offer. Students in the OCWP Program can enter the post-graduation program as the off-campus work permit is valid for up to 90 days after graduation, allowing students to search for post-graduation jobs.
"The Government of Prince Edward Island is pleased to expand the off-campus work program for international students," said Minister Brown. "Being able to work will give the students an opportunity to improve their language skills and gain valuable experience. It will also promote the province as a more attractive destination for international students."
The Government of Canada and the province of Prince Edward Island agreed that only those enrolled in qualifying programs offered by the Maritime Christian College will be eligible for the OCWP pilot expansion. Eligible institutions must be privately funded Canadian post-secondary educational institutions that are located in a participating province or territory.
The pilot will be in place for four years, after which a comprehensive review will be undertaken by the province. British Columbia, Manitoba and Alberta have already implemented similar pilots.
For information, please visit the Off-Campus Work Permit Program.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Tim Vail
Press Secretary
Minister's Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
Kim Devine
Communications
Prince Edward Island Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning
902-620-3774
