NB 1068
Sept. 28, 2004
FREDERICTON (CNB) - International students attending any of the province's four public universities or any of the campuses of the New Brunswick Community College will now be able to apply for a permit to work off campus. The announcement was made today by Education Minister Madeleine Dubé and Training and Employment Development Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney.
"International students are an important and growing segment of our university population, and I am very pleased that we have been able to accommodate their desire to find employment off campus while living and studying in our province," Dubé said. "This will not only allow students to earn money toward their education and living expenses, but will also enrich our province by providing greater opportunity for people from different cultures to meet and learn more about each other."
International students will be able to obtain a work permit, provided they meet certain eligibility conditions, under the International Student Off-Campus Work Pilot Project.
The two-year pilot project results from an agreement signed in March 2004 between Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Government of New Brunswick. It allows full-time international students to apply for an open work permit, under certain conditions, including having completed one year of study at a participating public post-secondary institution in New Brunswick.
The work permit will allow students to work off campus for a maximum of 20 hours a week while registered as full-time students and for a maximum of 40 hours a week during different school break periods. Currently, full-time international students in Canada are allowed to work only on the campus of the institution at which they are registered, except in Manitoba and Quebec, where similar pilot projects are in place.
"As the minister responsible for the New Brunswick Community Colleges, I am pleased that this pilot project will help our international students," Blaney said. "Our province will benefit from allowing international students to work while pursuing their educational goals. Upon graduation, the Province has a greater chance of retaining this pool of talented students who are already familiar with Canadian culture and language, and who already have Canadian credentials. This will help promote New Brunswick as a place of choice to study, work and live."
Blaney said the success of the pilot will directly impact the Province in meeting its Prosperity Plan's Investing in People Building Block goals, for which her department is responsible.
"For the NBCC/CCNB Network, this initiative fits well in our objective of internationalization,'' she said.
The Université de Moncton, the University of New Brunswick, St. Thomas University, and Mount Allison University have also each signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Education in order to make the pilot project available to their students.
"The number of international students enrolled at our institution has been increasing over the past few years and this new initiative provides an additional incentive for an even greater number of them to choose to pursue their studies in our region," Université de Moncton President Yvon Fontaine said. "This measure will make it easier for them to enter the labour market, thus contributing to the dynamism and vitality of our communities, not to mention the growth in influence that will result at the international level."
"The University of New Brunswick fully endorses this project for the benefit of our many international students in Fredericton and Saint John," UNB President Dr. John McLaughlin said. "It allows our international student population the opportunity to become part of the community, contributing to our provincial workforce and the economy. This is a win-win situation for our students."
St. Thomas University President Dr. Dan O'Brian congratulated the federal and provincial governments for working together "to create this forward-thinking initiative."
"I am delighted that our international students are now free to work off campus," O'Brian said. "Not only does this end the employment barriers for international students, but it opens up endless possibilities for the students and for Canadian society. The international students will be able to earn much-needed income and gain valuable work experience, and they will also make new friends and learn more about Canadian society. We in turn will have an opportunity to learn more about them and their world."
President Kenneth Ozmon said Mount Allison University was very pleased to be part of the pilot project.
"The opportunity to work off-campus will give international students a fuller understanding of Canadian society and will greatly enhance their university experience," Ozmon said. "The project will also foster a closer relationship between international students and the New Brunswick communities they live in, and many New Brunswick employers will benefit from the skills and experience of students from around the world."
Work permits will be issued to eligible international students by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and are valid for a period of up to one year. The Department of Education will work with participating post-secondary institutions to ensure the pilot project is implemented in a consistent manner. Participating post-secondary institutions will be responsible for ensuring that students comply with project guidelines and criteria.
International students attending the participating universities should contact their Student Services division for information on eligibility. Information is also available on the Department of Education's web site at: http://www.gnb.ca/0000/ps/index-e.asp.
International students attending the NBCC/CCNB Network should contact the Student Services at the local College for information on eligibility. Information is also available at the New Brunswick Community College web site at: http://www.nbcc.nb.ca.
Other partners in the implementation and evaluation of the pilot project include Business New Brunswick and the Department of Intergovernmental and International Relations.
04/09/28
MEDIA CONTACTS: Steve Benteau, communications, Education, 506-444-4714; Raphaël Moore, provincial co-ordinator, International Student Off-Campus Work Pilot Project, 506-457-7203.
04/09/28