on record JUNE 2016 BUSINESS IMMIGRATION

on record JUNE 2016 BUSINESS IMMIGRATION The Citizenship Act, in Flux Again Buy Business, Will Immigrate: A Look At Channels For Immigrants Wanting To Start A Business Year Two: Canada s Express Entry Program From Study Permit to Permanent Residence: The Rocky Road for International Students Intending to Work in Canada

2400, 525-8th Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 1G1 Phone: 403-260-0100 Fax: 403-260-0332 On Record Contents: See other BD&P articles under Publications on our web site www.bdplaw.com 1 The Citizenship Act, in Flux Again 3 Buy Business, Will Immigrate: A Look At Channels For Immigrants Wanting To Start A Business 5 Year Two: Canada s Express Entry Program 7 From Study Permit to Permanent Residence: The Rocky Road for International Students Intending to Work in Canada BUSINESS IMMIGRATION, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rita R. Tripathy rrt@bdplaw.com 403-260-0235 BUSINESS IMMIGRATION, MANAGING EDITOR Rhonda G. Wishart rwishart@bdplaw.com 403-260-0268 GENERAL NOTICE On Record is published by BD&P to provide our clients with timely information as a value-added service. The articles contained here should not be considered as legal advice due to their general nature. Please contact the authors, or other members of our Business Immigration Team directly for more detailed information or specific professional advice. Business Immigration Professionals Lawyers Rita R. Tripathy... rrt@bdplaw.com 403-260-0235 Jonathan Selnes... jselnes@bdplaw.com 403-260-0360 Paralegal Clara Liu... cliu@bdplaw.com 403-267-1600

IMMIGRATION PAGE 1 The Citizenship Act, in Flux Again By Rita Tripathy and Sydney Black, Student-at-Law In BD&P s July 2015 Business Immigration Newsletter, we took readers through the significant changes made to the Citizenship Act by Bill C-24. These changes included a narrowed definition of residency, a heightened threshold for residency, and, significantly, the ability to revoke citizenship from naturalized Canadians. Since that article, there has been a sea of political change in Canada. Justin Trudeau s Liberal Government was elected in October, 2015. The Liberals campaigned on a promise to revoke Bill C-24: a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian, Justin Trudeau insisted. Now with a majority government, the Liberals have started putting some of their Citizen Act promises into action. What Has Been Changed? The Ability to Revoke Citizenship Bill C-24 s most controversial change was that a naturalized citizen, if convicted of certain criminal offenses, could have his/her citizenship revoked. Previously, citizenship could only be revoked when obtained by false representation, fraud or by knowingly concealing material circumstances. The ability to revoke citizenship based on incidents that occur after someone becomes a citizen will be stripped from the Citizenship Act. 1 This change is retroactive so that any Canadian whose citizenship was stripped under Bill C-24 s criminal offences rule will have his/her citizenship restored.

IMMIGRATION PAGE 2 The public had raised a concern that families might be separated by teenagers being required to pass the citizenship test and have restored the previous exemptions: no minor or person over 55 is required to take the tests. Language and Knowledge Requirements Would-be Canadians are required to pass language and knowledge tests to qualify for citizenship, subject to some exemptions. Bill C-24 narrowed those exemptions, requiring minors over 14 and people under 65 to pass both tests. The public had raised a concern that families might be separated by teenagers being required to pass the citizenship test and have restored the previous exemptions: no minor or person over 55 is required to take the tests. 2 Residency Requirements Bill C-24 increased the residency requirements for people applying for citizenship. Prior to Bill C-24, a person had to be resident in Canada for three years in four. Bill C-24 changed that to four years in six. The Government s recent change to residency requirements makes it three out of five years, resulting in an easier requirement to satisfy. 3 The Government has restored the right of refugees and temporary residents seeking permanent residence to count each day of residence as a half day (to a maximum of 365 days). This will make it easier for permanent residents to meet their residency requirements. 4 Intent to Reside Bill C-24 required people to prove their intent to reside in Canada after being made citizens. There was some doubt as to whether this requirement was at odds with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protection of mobility rights. The requirement will be repealed. 5 What Has Not Changed There are other, more minor elements of Bill C-24 that are being repealed. However, what may be more interesting are the elements of Bill C-24 that the Government has chosen to keep. The Revocation Process Prior to Bill C-24, a person under investigation had the right to elect to be heard at the Federal Court. Bill C-24 introduced an administrative process for revoking citizenship. This administrative process has not been changed. Where the Minister suspects someone has obtained citizenship fraudulently, a hearing is only required under exceptional circumstances. This process has already had its constitutionality challenged. A temporary stay has been issued on all cases that have challenged the fairness of the new procedure. Under the new process, someone who has been accused of fraudulently obtaining citizenship has no right to an oral hearing, no right to full disclosure and no right to call witnesses. Another criticism of the process is that the decision-maker works with the official responsible for mounting a case in favour of revocation, raising concerns about the decision-maker s independence and impartiality. Critics say, given what s at stake, this level of procedural fairness falls far short of what is owed to Canadian citizens under investigation. This process is likely to be in the spotlight, given a recent report from the Auditor-General that concluded that the Department of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada has not properly detected or prevented citizenship fraud. 700 cases, from July, 2014 to October, 2015, are now under review. 6 Application after Revocation Prior to Bill C-24, where someone was found to have lied in order to obtain citizenship, he/she would not be able to become a citizen again for five years. That ban was doubled by Bill C-24, and the Government will be keeping this ten year ban. Offences Outside Canada Bill C-24 barred anyone who had been charged with an offense outside of Canada from obtaining citizenship. The Minister can waive this prohibition on compassionate grounds but the restriction remains. There are still concerns that people who have been charged with an offense by an undemocratic government will have to overcome this presumption against granting citizenship. Concluding Thoughts While much of the Citizenship Act will be restored to the provisions that existed prior to Bill C-24, some controversial changes are being retained, particularly the revocation process. That process is currently being challenged, and may be found to violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Footnotes 1 Bill C-6, 1st Session, 42nd Parliament, 64-65 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016, s. 3 2 Bill C-6, 1st Session, 42nd Parliament, 64-65 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016, s. 1(6) and (9) 3 Bill C-6, 1st Session, 42nd Parliament, 64-65 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016, s. 1 (2) 4 Bill C-6, 1st Session, 42nd Parliament, 64-65 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016, s 1(7) 5 Bill C-6, 1st Session, 42nd Parliament, 64-65 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016, s. 1(8) 6 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/gaps-in-ottawas-detection-ofcitizenship-fraud-auditor-finds/article29830872/

IMMIGRATION PAGE 3 Buy Business, Will Immigrate A Look At Channels For Immigrants Wanting To Start A Business By Rita Tripathy and Riley O Brien, Student-at-Law Since the demise of the federal Immigrant Investor and Entrepreneur Investor Programs, the available channels for immigrants wanting to invest in or start a business have narrowed. One avenue still available to business-minded immigrants is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program s ( TFWP ) owner/operator Labour Market Impact Assessment ( LMIA ) process. By utilizing the owner/operator LMIA stream, immigrants can receive a work permit and support their application for permanent residency through the Express Entry program. In short, this strategy involves: Finding an established business to buy or starting one s own business; Applying for an owner/operator LMIA and corresponding work permit; Operating the business; and Applying for permanent residence through the Express Entry system. When applying under the Express Entry program, a positive LMIA is worth 600 points. Invitations are regularly issued to applicants in the 450-500 point range, making an invitation to anyone with a positive LMIA highly probable. As an added bonus, applications under the owner/operator LMIA stream do not have to advertise the position unlike traditional LMIA applications. Unfortunately, the current guidance available from Employment and Social Development Canada ( ESDC ) regarding the owner/operator LMIA stream is vague, and at times, contradictory. Owner/Operators Defined Based on the ESDC s website and a 2011 ESDC TFWP bulletin, an owner/ operator: Is a foreign national; Is classified under National Occupation Classification Type 0 (Management), A (Professional), or B (Technical/Trade); Has an ownership stake in a business; Has demonstrated that he/she is: i) integral to the day-to-day operation of the business; and ii) will be actively involved in business processes/service delivery in Canada; It appears that consideration is also given to whether the owner/operator has demonstrated that such temporary entry will result in the creation or retention of employment opportunities for Canadians and permanent residents and/or skills transfer to Canadians and permanent residents. This leaves open questions regarding the level of required ownership, the timing of its acquisition and the amount of involvement in the business. Ownership Considerations Applicants to the owner/operator LMIA stream need to consider the following factors 1 : Level of Ownership: a 2011 ESDC bulletin outlines that applicants can be Sole Owners (100%), Principal Owners (>50%) or Co-Owners (<50%). While experiences have varied, various commentaries suggest that the ownership interests of 25 to 40% will suffice. Timing of Acquisition: if applicants acquire their ownership interest prior to being approved for a work permit, they risk the chance of the ESDC refusing to issue the LMIA leaving the applicants with a stake in a business and not being in Canada to run the business. On the other hand, commentators have noted that the ESDC also does not like purchase agreements that are conditional on an LMIA and work permit being issued. Since the purchase agreement is conditional, some ESDC officers have taken the stance that the applicant is not actually yet an owner/operator. Form of Ownership: commentators suggest that the ESDC requires applicants to hold their ownership in the business directly not through a holding company.

IMMIGRATION PAGE 4 Operations Considerations An applicant must use the documents in the application package to demonstrate that he/she is integral to the day-to-day operation of the business and will be actively involved in business process/ service delivery in Canada. Application packages should include: A job description for the owner/ operator, focusing on the owner/ operator s day-to-day involvement; Supporting documentation demonstrating that the applicant can perform the described work; Proof of the owner/operators ownership in the business; Any evidence of benefit to Canadians such as plans for new jobs or training of current employees; and Supporting documentation particular to the business operations, including: - Financial statements, tax filings etc. showing the business s profitability and ability to employ the owner/ operator and any current employees; - A business plan outlining the future of the business; and - Proof that the business has a location or that the location is at least secured (if a start-up) In addition, the applicant should sufficiently know the business operations which will help establish the applicant s intentions as a genuine owner/operator. The ultimate goal of the application package is to help the ESDC officer understand the basic premise of the business and to clearly demonstrate that granting the owner/operator s application would have a positive (or at least neutral) effect on the labour market. Provincial Nominee Programs for Permanent Residency Available for Business Owners If an applicant does not have sufficient points under the Express Entry program, he/she still has other options for permanent residency. Under the Provincial Nominee Programs, successful applicants can apply to the Government of Canada s Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ( IRCC ) for permanent residence in the Provincial Nominee class. While various provinces have different nominee programs, this article will focus on the AINP and the BC Provincial Nominee Program Entrepreneur Immigration stream ( BCPNP ). AINP Farmers Only In Alberta, the only owner/operator focussed stream is the Self-Employed Farmer Stream. To qualify for this stream, an applicant must: Hold a valid work permit or positive LMIA (can be accomplished through the owner/operator LMIA stream); Prove that he/she has farm management skills by providing - Financial documentation of the existing farm business - Education, training, and work experience documentation; - A proposed business plan for the farming enterprise being considered in Alberta; and - Proof that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance the proposed farming business; and Prove that he/she will invest in a primary production farming business by - Documenting the investment intentions in the business plan. Priority will be given to applications that represent the best opportunity for growth in Alberta s targeted agri-foods. BCPNP No LMIA Required In contrast to the AINP, upon a successful initial application to the BCPNP, the applicant will be issued a Letter of Confirmation to support his/her application for a work permit. The BCPNP requires at a minimum, that applicants: Meet a minimum net worth threshold of CAD$600k; Invest a minimum of CAD$200k in eligible expenses (including a business) and create at least one new job in the proposed BC business; Demonstrate active management of the day-to-day operations of the business in BC; Have an established history of business experience of at minimum - More than three years as an active business owner-manager (10% or more ownership); or - More than four years as a senior manager (<10% ownership and supervising at least 3 employees); or - A combination of at least one year as an active business owner-manager and at least two years as a senior manager; Demonstrate residency within 100km of their business, for at least 75% of the work permit period (usually two years). BCPNP registrants are ranked by a scoring system and only the highest scoring are invited to apply. Once an applicant is accepted, he/she must sign a Performance Agreement, which if successfully completed will enable an application for permanent residency under the Provincial Nominee class. Concluding Thoughts While the demise of the federal Immigrant Investor and Entrepreneur Investor Programs has made immigration more difficult for business focused individuals; there are still excellent opportunities available. In Canada at large, the owner/ operator LMIA stream is a viable stepping stone to an application under the Express Entry program. In British Columbia particularly, business immigrants can take advantage of both the owner/operator LMIA stream as well as the BCPNP. Both programs have the potential to attract industrious, entrepreneurial new Canadians while fostering Canadian businesses and creating new jobs. Footnotes 1 See Jeffrey S Low & Stanley WH Leo, Business Immigration Options Creative Work Permit Strategies and Meghan Felt and Sarah McInnes, The Nuances of Labour Marketing Impact Assessments (LMIA): 2 Key Exemptions to Minimum Advertising Requirements for more discussion of the topics in the next two sections.

IMMIGRATION PAGE 5 Year Two: Canada s Express Entry Program By Rita Tripathy and Allie Laurent, Student-at-Law Canada s Express Entry program was introduced in January 2015 and is now in its second year of operation. In the first year of the Express Entry program, 151,722 Express Entry profiles were submitted, 54% of which were refused because they failed to meet the minimum entry criteria. There were 31,063 invitations issued; 14% to Provincial Nominees, 42% to Federal Skilled Workers ( FSW ), 8% in Federal Skilled Trades ( FST ) and 36% Canadian Experience Class ( CEC ). The approval rate of accepted applications in 2015 was 82.5%. The Express Entry program is a streamlined way of managing and assessing immigration applications in the following three programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program; Federal Skilled Trades Program; and Canadian Experience Class. Effectively, Express Entry is a matching program intended to match eligible Canadian employers who are looking for candidates with certain required skills with the best foreign employees employees who are thought to be the most likely to be successful in Canada. This program is operated by Citizen and Immigration Canada ( CIC ) and is focused on three main objectives; flexibility in selection and application management, responsiveness to labour market and regional needs, and processing speed. The Logistics Foreign candidates will be eligible to apply for Express Entry only if they meet the skills requirements for one of the three programs above. If candidates are a match for one of these three programs, they can submit an online entry form that will put them into the express entry pool. As part of their online application, candidates receive a point score based on various factors including whether they have a job offer in Canada, whether they have a provincial/ territorial nomination and the nature of their overall skills and experience. CIC uses this score to determine the candidates who will receive an Invitation to Apply. Applicants with the highest scores are also invited to apply for permanent residence. CIC intends that applications in the Express Entry program will be processed within six months from the time a Letter of Invitation is received.

IMMIGRATION PAGE 6 It is expected that in 2016 Canada will welcome between 280,000 and 305,000 new permanent residents. The target is to admit 58,400 people through the FSW, FST and CEC programs. Different Programs & Requirements Federal Skilled Workers In order to be considered under the FSW program the applicant must have at least 67 points on the selection grid. To meet the minimum requirements for the FSW program, the candidates must: Have at least one year of continuous full-time work experience within the last ten years at a National Occupation Classification ( NOC ) skill level of 0, A or B; Have this one year of qualifying work experience in the candidate s primary occupation; Have the minimum required level of English or French; Have at least a Canadian secondary certificate or Educational Credential Assessment confirming at least a Canadian secondary school certificate; Have proof of sufficient settlement funds, unless exempt; and Plan to reside outside Quebec. Federal Skilled Trades This applicant category is for applicants who want to become permanent residents based on their qualifications as skilled trades people. To be eligible for the FST program an applicant must: Meet the required levels of English or French; Have at least two years full-time work experience in a skilled trade within the five years prior to applying; Meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the NOC, except for trades needing a certificate of qualification; Have an offer of full-time employment for a total period of one year or a certificate of qualification in that skill or trade issued by a Canadian province or territory; and Plan to live outside Quebec. Canadian Experience Class Current to March 9, 2016, the CEC program was at the top of the program hierarchy, a position previously held by the FSW program. Operationally this means that candidates who qualify in both the CEC and FSW programs will benefit by being chosen under the CEC category. In order to apply under the CEC class, candidates must: Have 12 months skilled work experience in Canada in the three years prior to their application; Have gained this experience in Canada while being properly authorized; Meet the required minimum language level; and Plan to reside outside Quebec. Work experience for the CEC does not include self-employment or employment while a full-time student. In addition, the minimum entry criteria for a CEC could mean a candidate is invited to apply before actually having 12 full months of Canadian work experience. Provincial Nominee Programs Some provinces include Provincial Nominee Programs as part of the Express Entry process. In Alberta, the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program ( AINP ) continues as a separate Permanent Residence Stream. Procedural Changes There have been two procedural changes worth noting. The first is an update to the procedure related to police certificates that requires clients to provide both proof that they requested a police certificate and an explanation of their best efforts to produce the police certificate. This information must be provided within 60 days of the applicants Invitation to Apply ( ITA ) expiring. It is also worth noting that police certificates are mandatory for all countries that an applicant has lived in for six months or longer. The second procedural change relates to the instructions regarding bridging open work permits ( BOWP ). A BOWP is a permit that Express Entry applicants are eligible to apply for on the path to permanent residency. Express Entry applicants are now eligible to apply for this permit immediately after they submit their electronic application for permanent residence (e-apr). As part of their e-apr application, applicants must submit their Acknowledgement of Receipt letter, as automatically generated by their MyCIC account. This means an applicant does not have to wait for a second Acknowledgement of Receipt letter to be issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. However, the BOWP will not actually be processed until the Centralized Intake Office performs a completeness check. Essentially, this means an applicant can apply for a BOWP upon receiving the acknowledgement of receipt that the Express Entry system sends out once the e-arp is filed. Expectations for 2016 It is expected that in 2016 Canada will welcome between 280,000 and 305,000 new permanent residents. The target is to admit 58,400 people through the FSW, FST and CEC programs. As of March 9, 8451 ITA s were issued in 6 rounds. This is comparatively few in light of the fact that as of January 3, 2016, CIC received over 37,000 applications.

IMMIGRATION PAGE 7 From Study Permit to Permanent Residence: The Rocky Road for International Students Intending to Work in Canada By Rita Tripathy and Sydney Black, Student-at-Law The Education An International Student s path into a Canadian post-secondary institution is fairly straightforward although tuition rates are high for these students. International Students applying for the required Temporary Residency and Study Permit must provide proof of: Acceptance by a Designated Learning Institution; Identity; Financial support sufficient to support themselves and their family while in Canada; and Admissibility (i.e. no health, security or criminal concerns that would otherwise preclude entry) The applicant will also have to satisfy the visa officer that he/she will depart at the end of the authorized stay. There may be additional requirements, depending upon the student s country of origin. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada s ( IRCC ) most recent numbers, from 2013, indicate a 75% acceptance rate of all applicants for study permits. 1 Alberta is home to 92 Designated Learning Institutions. But once a student is here, bureaucratic barriers prevent easy integration into the workplace. As a result, graduating International Students, unable to obtain Permanent Residency that would enable them to stay in Canada, tend to head elsewhere. Ability to Work While a Student While in school, International Students are free to support themselves and begin developing their careers. International Students can work on-campus without a work permit or any restriction of their hours. 2 In 2014, new rules were introduced allowing International Students to also work off campus without a work permit. 3 They can work for up to 20 hours a week during their studies and full time during session breaks (though breaks can be no longer than four months, and can only total five months in a year). A full-time International Student can, furthermore, obtain an open work permit for his/her spouse. In fact, the partner s work experience may prove invaluable if the family applies for Permanent Residency. The Post-Graduate Process As the International Student approaches graduation, the student has little time to decide whether he/she wants to work in Canada. Once the student has written notice of successful program completion from his/her school, he/she has a mere 90 days to apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit. This clock starts running once the student has received his transcripts it could be a costly mistake to wait until the convocation ceremony where the final degree or diploma is presented. To qualify for the Post-Graduate Work Permit Program, the International Student must have: Completed full-time studies in Canada in a program exceeding eight months; Attended a public post-secondary institution (with some exceptions); Applied within the 90 days; and A valid study permit at the time of application. The duration of the work permit will depend on the duration of the program the applicant has completed. The permit will match the period of study, up to a period of three years (so long as the program exceeded eight months). It is important to note that, while waiting for a Post-Graduate Work Permit, the now-former student can continue to work, so long as he/she was qualified to work off-campus prior to graduating. 4 The Post-Graduate Work Permit Program is attractive. It allows International Students to continue to develop their skills and apply their education through practical work experience. However, with a maximum of three years, an International Graduate who wants to continue building a career in Canada needs to plan for the next step: Permanent Residency.

IMMIGRATION PAGE 8 From International Graduate to Permanent Resident There are limited spaces for new Permanent Residents the government has set a target of 160,600 economic immigrants in 2016, a number that includes post-graduate students from across Canada. There are two main routes for an International Graduate to pursue in order to attain Permanent Residency Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program. Express Entry In March of this year, the Minister of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship ( the Minister ) acknowledged the short comings of the Express Entry system for International Graduates, stating, We must do more to attract students to this country as permanent residents International students have been shortchanged by the express entry system. They are the cream of the crop, in terms of potential future Canadians. 5 The Express Entry system gives Comprehensive Ranking System points to applicants based on the attractiveness of their backgrounds and attributes. Taking into consideration features such as the applicant s age, language proficiency, Canadian and foreign work experience, and any current job offer, the Express Entry system will allocate points up to a score out of 1200. The lowest number of points an applicant has had to meet before receiving an invitation has historically been approximately 450. International Students and Post-Graduate Workers apply under the Canadian Experience Class alongside Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades and some Provincial Nominee Classes. Compared with these other applicants, International Students and Graduates are at a disadvantage as they will typically lack foreign work experience. International Students and Post-Graduate Workers are also less likely to receive a Labour Market Impact Assessment ( LMIA ) Offer of Employment. An LMIA Offer of Employment requires the would-be employer to go through an extensive assessment process which deters many employers. When dealing with a recent graduate with little industry experience, the cost is likely to seem out of proportion to the benefit for most employers. The Minister has publically questioned the necessity of an LMIA while discussing possible reforms to the immigration system. 6 The Office of the Prime Minister released a Mandate Letter to the Minister presenting two changes that will likely benefit international graduates: giving additional points to applicants with Canadian siblings and increasing the maximum age of dependants from 19 to 20. Provincial Nominee Program This is another route available to International Graduates. Each province selects applicants for permanent residency based on varying criteria. The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program ( AINP ) has two categories: AINP Post-Graduate Workers and AINP International Graduate. The Post-Graduate Worker category is characterized as a strategic recruitment stream. It is available to International Graduates who graduated from an Alberta institution after at least one year of study and are currently working in the province with a post-grad work permit. 7 The International Graduate applying under this category must show in his/her application that he/she intends to live permanently in Alberta. 8 The International Graduate category is an employer driven stream, open to a graduate of any eligible post-secondary institution in Canada (these are not identical to the Designated Learning Institutions through which one can qualify for a study permit) with a post-grad work permit and an offer of permanent, full-time employment in Alberta. Both categories require that the applicant is currently working in one of the following National Occupational Classification ( NOC ) skill levels: NOC 0: Management occupations NOC A: Occupations that usually require university education NOC B: Occupations that usually require college educations NOC C: Occupations that usually require specific training and/or secondary education, with some exceptions Essentially, the province wants to see that applicants are using their Canadian education in their careers, reinvesting in the economy. These streams are reserved for international graduates, which makes them more attractive than competing against a larger pool of applicants in the Express Entry system. However, there are limited spots. AINP has 5,500 nomination certificates available across all streams for 2016 and 1,050 certificates have already been issued. There are currently over 2,500 applicants in the queue for the International Graduate Category and over 850 in the queue for the Post-Graduate Worker Category. Concluding Thoughts While International Students are welcome to study in Canada, there are significant barriers to their ability to remain in Canada to work post-graduation. While the Post- Graduate Work Permit is an attractive feature of Canada s immigration system, it enables a maximum three years of work and the majority of International Graduates will not become Permanent Residents. The Minister has said that he believes international students are among the most fertile source of new immigrants for Canada. By definition they re educated, they speak English or French, they know something about the country. So they should be first on our list of people whom we court to come to Canada which suggests the new Government may have a plan about being more intentional about retaining International Graduates. Footnotes 1 http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/evaluation/ isp/2015/proc-outcomes.asp 2 Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations [IRPR], s. 186(f). 3 IRPR, at s. 186(v). 4 IRPR, at s. 186(w) 5 Susana Mas, Express entry review to ease path to permanent residency for foreign students, (March 15, 2016) CBC News: < http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ express-entry-international-students-1.3483347> 6 Ibid. 7 http://www.albertacanada.com/opportunity/immigrating/ ainp.aspx 8 http://www.albertacanada.com/opportunity/immigrating/ srs-post-graduate-worker.aspx

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