Canada's new residency points plan to aid Indians

MUMBAI: Indian students in Canada, wishing to obtain permanent residency after studies, will benefit from a revision in the calculation of points under the Express Entry Program (EEP), as their education will fetch points.Currently , there are nearly 50,000 students from India and their numbers are growing. Earlier, foreign students studying in Canada did not get any points. Now from November 19, as per the revised instructions issued by Canada's department of citizenship and immigration, foreign students will be able to add more points to their EEP applications based on their course of study and time spent in Canada.

“Previously , those applying for permanent residency could earn up to 150 points based on their educational qualifications. The only advantage for those who had studied in Canada was not having to prove the equivalency of their degrees. Under the new system, applicants (foreign students) with a Canadian educational credential, will get up to 30 additional points.This will strengthen their profile in the express entry pool for better chances of selection against other applicants,“ explains Ontario-based Talha Mohani, immigration law expert and MD at Migration Bureau Corp.

To illustrate, an eligible post-secondary education of three years or more would garner 30 points. A one or two year recognised diploma would fetch 15 points.

According to Canadian government statistics published by the Canadian Magazine of Immigration, the number of foreign students in Canada has more than doubled over the past decade from 1.72 lakh in 2004 to 3.56 lakh as at the end of 2015. India was the second largest source country , since 2012.

The number of Indian students rose by 630% from just 6,675 in 2004 to 48,914 in 2015, constituting 13.7% of the total foreign student population. Engineering, including IT, business management, pharmacy related courses and hospitality management are generally top choices for Indian students wishing to study in Canada.

Counsellors say the numbers of foreign students in Canada will rise. “Canada is looking at vigorous inclusive growth, and after Trump's election as US president, more students are likely to favour Canada, and the revised point system will help,“ says a Mumbai based student counsellor.