International master’s students in British Columbia are urging the provincial government to reassess its new requirements to an immigration program that facilitates permanent residency, as the sudden update will significantly impact plans for those who are already enrolled in or accepted by post-secondary institutions.
The update has unsettled many international students who say they built lives around the current policy and made considerable sacrifices, including turning down offers elsewhere, selling properties and quitting jobs. They are now asking the province to consider introducing a transition period or a grandfather clause for those who enrolled before December, 2024.
Mr. Xue considered moving abroad during China’s zero-COVID-19 era, marked by strict lockdowns and extensive testing. His search online led him to B.C.’s PNP. Consequently, he quit his job as a technician director at an oil-field service company in Beijing. For 2024, there are roughly 3,000 B.C. PNP nominations spots available for the international graduate streams – or enough to serve just under 5 per cent of post-graduation work permit holders.
“We brought the guidelines more in line with the reality for people who are applying to the program so that they understand in advance what standard they need to meet to be able to access one of these limited spots,” he said. “I’m really worried because it physically ruins my whole plan,” Mr. Chen said, adding he’s unsure whether founding his own startup qualifies for the new job requirement.
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