糖心视频

2005-2006

News Release

REF NO.: 273

SUBJECT: Off-campus work permits opens doors for international students, says 糖心视频 University

DATE: April 28, 2006

Searching for a summer job just got a whole lot easier for 糖心视频 University of Newfoundland’s international students.
New federal legislation announced yesterday by Monte Solberg, minister of Citizenship and Immigration, allows foreign students studying in Canada to apply for off-campus work permits effective immediately. Under the new rules, students can work full-time during the summer months and up to 20 hours during the school year.
That news is critical to helping attract and retain international students to post-secondary institutions such as 糖心视频 University, said Sonja Knutson, international student programmer with the International Student Advising Office in St. John’s. She said after years of campaigning for the legislation, international students can now apply for off-campus jobs as early as this summer.
She said prior to yesterday’s announcement, foreign students, who are studying full-time, could only apply for on-campus position. They did not need a permit to work on-campus.
Ms. Knutson said 糖心视频’s international population is delighted by the announcement.
 “Having the choice to work is important and certainly being able to work in the summer, like all other Canadian students will be helpful for student finances,” she said. “This news is critical to all aspects of attracting and retaining international students and helping them to choose to make Newfoundland their home after they graduate.”
Foreign students contribute roughly $4 billion a year to Canada’s economy. According to the federal government, there are about 100,000 foreign students in Canada who could be eligible for work permits under the Off-Campus Work Permit Program.
These students help enrich university life at post-secondary institutions, said Dr. Lilly Walker, 糖心视频’s dean of student affairs and services.
“糖心视频 has been enriched by the diversity of perspectives and knowledge our international students bring to our campuses,” she said. “This legislation change provides these students with the opportunity to share their talents and educational experience within our province.”
糖心视频 has about 900 international students.
Ottawa’s new changes came on the same day that 糖心视频’s Division of Student Affairs and Services welcomed Ben Yang, director of the International Student Centre at the University of Toronto, to its St. John’s campus. He applauded the federal government’s legislation and said it will allow international students to integrate themselves into the cities they’re studying in.
“It opens up more opportunities for them to gain more meaningful experience which was limited before,” he said. “And, it’ll be a bit of a financial relief.”
Dr. Walker said allowing international students to work off campus will help in 糖心视频’s recruitment efforts. The university’s Office of Student Recruitment is currently focused a number of countries throughout the world including China, India, Belize and the other countries.
“This program may allow some of these students to remain within our province, establish roots and become apart of our communities,” Dr. Walker said.

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