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e-2655 (Citizenship and immigration)

E-petition
Initiated by Joyce de Paula from Toronto, Ontario

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Whereas:
  • The Canadian economy has greatly benefited from the success of its education export industry, which contributes an estimated $21.6 billion annually to Canada’s GDP and has created 170,000 jobs for Canadians;
  • Incorporating international students’ skills into the Canadian labour force is of critical importance to the Canadian economy;
  • Canada’s post graduate work permit program (PGWP) has been a tremendous draw for prospective international students, because it allows international graduates to prove their viability in the Canadian labour market and potentially start their permanent residency applications;
  • The post graduate work permit is issued for a very limited duration, and can only be issued once, resulting in international graduates being under strict time pressure to accumulate skilled work experience;
  • The government of Canada’s COVID-19 response to date has not considered the negative impact on international students’ long-term planning and investment, nor the negative impact on the Canadian economy, should graduates not be given the opportunity to prove their value during their PGWP period due to COVID-19 related work shortages and layoffs; and
  • When Canada needed international students to fill front line shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were there for Canada, now we are asking Canada to be there for us.
We, the undersigned, international students and stakeholders in Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to offer reasonable accommodation through an extension of the post graduate work permit time limit to international graduates who work experience accumulation was negatively impacted by COVID-19.
Open for signature
June 10, 2020, at 2:23 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
July 10, 2020, at 2:23 p.m. (EDT)
Photo - Elizabeth May
Saanich—Gulf Islands
Green Party Caucus
British Columbia
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