International Students

international students: to federal immigration rules could mean Manitoba sees fewer new international students who later seek to settle in the province, though the provincial nominee program could cushion the blow. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. The new rules kicked in Jan 1. but took many international students by surprise, said Thapa. The change means international students must vie with other skilled workers for a limited number of permanent resident permits. Called the Express Entry program, it meant to speed up the process for skilled workers looking to immigrate to Canada, but it also means international students are now in the same pool of applicants as other highly skilled workers, who may have more on-the-job experience, can better show no Canadian could do a particular job and rate higher on the points system used to rank applicants. Astitwa Thapa, at a rally at the U of M last year, says new rules affecting international students are 'extremely sad.' Photo Store "It extremely sad," said Astitwa Thapa, the international student representative on the University of Manitoba Student Union. "It makes it very difficult for international students." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.