Achi news desk-
A protest was held in downtown Vancouver by international students, advocates and supporters supporting a petition.
The petition, Promises Made, Promises Kept: Safe Pathways to the Future for PNP BC International Studentsurges the BC government to halt its changes to the BC Provincial Nominee Program.
According to the petition, graduates of designated programs could normally apply directly for permanent resident status. With the recent update to the program, graduates of the master’s program must now secure a skilled job offer for an official year and meet specific language criteria for eligibility.
“This sudden policy change disrupts the paths of current and future international students, undermining their significant financial, time and emotional investments in their pursuit of a stable future in British Columbia,” the petition said.
“Countless international students have made significant sacrifices, both financially and emotionally, only to face such a sudden and life-changing outcome.”
The petition has more than 2,050 signatures with a goal of 2,500.
According to the province, the changes made to the nominee program will create “clearer pathways for international workers” and “make it more difficult for predatory recruiters and other bad actors.”
The updates include a new three-stream structure for post-secondary graduates, increased language requirements, and continued prioritization for people working in “in-demand” jobs.
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A few hundred people attended the protest held at 11am at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
“I was completely shocked,” said Zongwang Wang, a master’s student at BC
“(The old policy) was the very reason I came here. I left my job in New York City and moved all the way to Vancouver just two months ago because I saw the policy as a clear path … if I study here, I have a chance at permanent residency. “
Wang, and many other students at the rally, believe that the changes made to the program were made too quickly.
“Now because it has changed with all these new conditions and obstacles, I feel it is unfair,” Wang said. “I don’t feel I’ve been properly informed.”
Those at the rally voiced their opinion that they wanted to see the policy return to what it was before.
Global BC reached out to Civic Affairs Minister Anne Kang, but she was not available for an interview.
“I sympathize with those students who may be feeling some uncertainty about what the recently announced changes to the BC Provincial Nominee Program mean for them. I know they face unique challenges as newcomers to our state, and I understand how important these issues are to them as they make career plans and begin to choose a path towards permanent British residency. Columbia,” he said in a statement.
“The BC PNP is a very competitive program, but some have misrepresented it as an easy path to permanent residency. We are updating the BC PNP to give people the information they need to make informed decisions about which immigration path works best for them and, if they are considering the BC PNP, to make sure they are giving them the best chance be nominated.”
Kang said the province is “committed to working with students, recruiters, employers and institutions to make sure they know about these changes and understand the options available to them.”
There are over 62,000 post-graduation work permit holders in BC, most of whom are looking for a path to permanent residency.
For 2024, there are approximately 3,000 PNP CC nomination places available.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
