The Vancouver Business Thread

[whatnext]

I'm sure like most forumers, I'm asking myself "where the f*&k is Northeastern University?":

'Seismic shift' in B.C.'s visa requirements creates confusion for international graduate students
"I'm in a very awkward position." Zongwang Wang, a 28-year-old from China, said that changes to the provincial nominee program could put his future in Canada in jeopardy.
Author of the article: Katie DeRosa
Published Mar 21, 2024

Zongwang Wang left a lucrative career as an investment adviser in New York to pursue a master’s degree in computer science at Northeastern University Vancouver.

However, after the B.C. government quietly announced changes Tuesday to the provincial nominee program — which allows a pathway to permanent residency in Canada — the 28-year-old from Qingdao, China, fears his future here is in jeopardy.

Starting in January, international graduate students in B.C. will require a one-year, full time job offer to be eligible to apply for permanent residency in Canada. Previously, only international undergraduate students needed to show proof of a job offer to apply. The changes don’t impact doctoral students who don’t require a job offer.

Wang said he turned down offers from other universities in the U.S. to pursue his second master’s degree in B.C. with the hope of making a life here....

.....In an information bulletin published Tuesday, the Municipal Affairs Ministry, which oversees the provincial nominee program, said the changes create “clearer pathways for international workers coming to B.C., making it harder for predatory recruiters and other bad actors to take advantage of people.”

Some recruiters “misrepresent (the program) as an easy pathway to permanent residency,” the ministry said.

Mark Strong, a recruiter with 30 years of experience who runs VanJobs Technical Recruiters, said he’s not surprised to see the changes that he believes are part of the provincial and federal governments’ attempts to crack down on so-called diploma mill colleges that charge international students exorbitant fees while offering a poor education.

“(These institutions) weren’t selling education, they were selling permanent residency via the loophole to immigrate to Canada,” he said. “My understanding is these changes were made because of these places. They were offering a way to buy your way in.”.....

https://vancouversun.com/news/international-students-to-protest-provinces-visa-changes