Toronto immigration lawyer Karen Kwan Anderson: This article from the CBC notes that the UK is cracking down on international students who may wish to stay in the country after their studies are complete:
The aim is to curb what the government calls an increase in visa fraud by students who arrive on a study permit and enter the job market instead, thereby bypassing the strict requirements needed to obtain a legal work visa.
It’s the latest in a series of crackdowns by Prime Minister David Cameron’s government, which has promised to reduce annual net migration to Great Britain from “hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands.”
Canada takes a different approach, by allowing students to work on campus without a work permit, as well as allowing up to 20 hours per week of off-campus work without a permit.
STUDENTS GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE WHILE WORKING
This approach gives students an opportunity to learn about the business world and improve their English or French language skills. Perhaps most importantly, the student is able to earn some money in order to survive life as a student. Remember that international students pay at least 3 times more tuition than Permanent Residents and Canadian citizens.
Gaining work experience during their studies can help student get a job after graduation. This is big, because after one year of working in the field in which they graduated, students can then apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
CANADIAN EXPERIENCE CLASS
CEC is one of the best immigration categories to be in, since Canada is especially looking for prospective immigrants who have education, work experience and English or French proficiency.
Being able to work during studies is an advantage if a student wants to eventually apply for permanent residence to Canada. You can apply for the CEC class through the Express Entry system. Give me a call if you have any questions and I’d be glad to steer you in the right direction.