Drastic Changes in Work Permit for International Students - Aware?

[shyguy]

This is just to ask the esteemed members of this forum, whether they are aware of the major changes that have been taking place in work permit trends for international students in ONTARIO. Also, to take your opinion on whether these changes are expected to be long term and therefore a problem for current students?
I am an international Masters student in a University in Ontario. 16 month (4 semester) program.Rumors are that, the University used to earlier give some certificate saying that it was a 24 month program and saying that the students used to avoid the summer break and make it 16 continuous month. Apparently, that certificate was enough for it to be regarded as a 2 year program and get a 3 year work permit. I don't know whether that was legal or not. News is that,the Uni got caught by CIC and fined as well. Seems they have stopped issuing 3 year work permits, they are issuing 16 month permits now (equivalent to study period). If this is a change going forward, it is disaster for international students. 16 months aren't even enough to recover the loans taken by some of us from our home countries (lets be honest, the Intl student avenue was always a way to get a PR, rather than getting the degree - no company back in our home country is gonna pay us shitloads of money just coz we have a Canadian degree).

So my question is, given that there is a good chance that we will get a 16 month work permit,
1) Is 16 month usually enough to get a provincial nomination at least, if not the whole PR?
2) If the answer to the first question is yes, is it easy to extend your stay legally if you have the provincial nomination, even if you haven't got the PR yet (the extension is with the intention of continuing to stay until you get the PR)
3) Worst case scenario, if the provincial nomination takes more than 16 months, is it easy to extend your work visa (especially if you already have a part time job which may become full time after graduation)?

 

[Ajaykarthik90]

Is this the confirmed news?? If so it would be a big problem

 

[lourve]

What school is this the one got caught by CIC?

As far as I know, the school is responsible to report to CIC if the international students is currently enrolled or going to have a summer break, or dropped out of school or in short student's school standing. Thus, the CIC has a record of your school status. For the 16 months program (4 semester) isn't it equivalent to two years program even if you studied continuous? I'm not quite sure about this..

All in all, hoping international students status will get better and more better improvements will come in the near future.

 

[re3dv]

This is actually...kind of ridiculous
Listen..wen the university did this sort of a thing then they cldnt hv gotten away wd it even for a single student. If a student started school in september 15 and completed it in december 16 (continuous 4 semesters) then he submitted his degree to cic for pgwp..wldnt cic see tht on the letter provided the uni, it is written tht course was 24 months but the student has studied only for 16 months (frm sep15 to dec16)?? This isnt something tht universities can deceive cic abt...

 

[re3dv]

Plus, 4 semester course (weather u complete it continuously wdout break or if u take a break) means its a two year course
2 semesters r generally considered in one academic year

 

[shyguy]

@re3dv thank you for your reply. I know that CIC can calculate the 16 months based on transcripts. What I meant is, the university used to issue a letter stating that it was a 24 month program which the student voluntarily opted to complete in 16 months (indirectly requesting CIC o issue PGWP according to the norms applicable to a 2 year program). If you're saying that a 16 month continuous program is automatically equivalent to a 2 year program, that's very good for us. I had mentioned in my original post that these are rumors and may or may not be true. It is quite possible that CIC is issuing a 16 month work permit because of the current stop on PNP applications. Also, maybe they'll issue a 3 year WP if the candidate has a job.. maybe. In any case, your reply is encouraging. Thank you.