November 2011
Ottawa expands Federal Skilled Worker Program to include international PhD students
The federal government announced Wednesday (November 2) it intends to accept up to 1,000 foreign doctoral students annually as permanent residents through the Federal Skilled Worker Program. To be eligible for the program, applicants must have completed at least 2 years of study toward the attainment of a PhD, as well as remain in good academic standing at a provincially recognized PSE institution in Canada. Individuals who have recently graduated from a Canadian PhD program will also be eligible to apply, as long as they do so within 12 months following graduation. The government also announced Wednesday that Canada has welcomed its 10,000th permanent resident through the Canadian Experience Class immigration stream, which offers a pathway to permanent residency for international students and skilled and highly skilled temporary foreign workers