By Davene Jeffrey
Many international students looking for Nova Scotia jobs face institutionalized racism, says a Kenyan national. The province announced a new program to streamline the immigration process for international student graduates at a news conference at Dalhousie University Tuesday. "It is important to recognize that (racism exists) and to make sure the program is fair," said Eunice Abaga, a Dal graduate and policy analyst with the provincial Health Department. She knows of six international graduates who tried to get jobs in the province – three of them were blacks from African countries. Those three were all asked by potential employers whether they were allowed to work in Canada. "The other set were not asked this question," Ms. Abaga said. She graduated with a degree in public administration from Dalhousie University in 2002 and started looking for work. Her first two job offers she lost, when she told potential employers she had to wait six weeks to get a work visa.
"If there is a way that graduate students can be issued with even a short-term work permit, it would be easier to find a job," she said. Nova Scotia is actively trying to attract immigrants to the province. "We are an aging province and we need young people," Elizabeth Mills, executive director of the province’s Office of Immigration, told the press conference Tuesday. Her staff has been meeting with employers around the province discussing the process of hiring and supporting immigrant workers. Under the program, the Office of Immigration will nominate students for permanent resident status to the federally-run Citizenship and Immigration Canada. To apply to the program, applicants must meet several requirements: be between 21 and 55 years of age, have graduated within the past two years from a post-secondary Nova Scotia institution, want to stay in Nova Scotia and have worked at least for three months with an employer who is offering them a full-time, permanent job.
"It’s a good program, but not for researchers," says Sajjad Hussain, president of Dalhousie’s international student society and a second-year science student. "It will solve many problems for graduate students who are very focused on getting a job in a practical environment," Mr. Hussain said. Graduates who are involved in research work and those working in academia tend to go from contract to contract, and applying as skilled workers may be the way to go, he said. Nova Scotia created its Office of Immigration in 2005 to attract and retain immigrants. It also nominates immigrants for permanent residency through four other programs: skilled workers with permanent, full-time job offers; people with long-established ties to a Nova Scotia community and people with a job offer from a family member who owns a business here. A fifth stream for those with a minimum six-month work contract is currently on hold and being redesigned, the conference was told. By 2010, the office wants to increase the yearly number of immigrants to the province to 3,600, with a retention rate of 70 per cent, Ms. Mills said. According to figures presented at the conference, 1,474 immigrants came to Nova Scotia in 2000. That number rose to 2,600 last year. At any given time, there are approximately 3,600 foreign students attending Nova Scotia universities and colleges, Ms. Mills said. Based on similar programs operating in other provinces, Nova Scotia will likely keep between five to 10 per cent of its foreign students, she said. Under the current agreement with Ottawa, Nova Scotia can nominate 400 people for permanent residency. The province hopes to lift that barrier when it enters into renegotiations in August, Ms. Mills said.
Many international students looking for Nova Scotia jobs face institutionalized racism, says a Kenyan national. The province announced a new program to streamline the immigration process for international student graduates at a news conference at Dalhousie University Tuesday. "It is important to recognize that (racism exists) and to make sure the program is fair," said Eunice Abaga, a Dal graduate and policy analyst with the provincial Health Department. She knows of six international graduates who tried to get jobs in the province – three of them were blacks from African countries. Those three were all asked by potential employers whether they were allowed to work in Canada. "The other set were not asked this question," Ms. Abaga said. She graduated with a degree in public administration from Dalhousie University in 2002 and started looking for work. Her first two job offers she lost, when she told potential employers she had to wait six weeks to get a work visa.
"If there is a way that graduate students can be issued with even a short-term work permit, it would be easier to find a job," she said. Nova Scotia is actively trying to attract immigrants to the province. "We are an aging province and we need young people," Elizabeth Mills, executive director of the province’s Office of Immigration, told the press conference Tuesday. Her staff has been meeting with employers around the province discussing the process of hiring and supporting immigrant workers. Under the program, the Office of Immigration will nominate students for permanent resident status to the federally-run Citizenship and Immigration Canada. To apply to the program, applicants must meet several requirements: be between 21 and 55 years of age, have graduated within the past two years from a post-secondary Nova Scotia institution, want to stay in Nova Scotia and have worked at least for three months with an employer who is offering them a full-time, permanent job.
"It’s a good program, but not for researchers," says Sajjad Hussain, president of Dalhousie’s international student society and a second-year science student. "It will solve many problems for graduate students who are very focused on getting a job in a practical environment," Mr. Hussain said. Graduates who are involved in research work and those working in academia tend to go from contract to contract, and applying as skilled workers may be the way to go, he said. Nova Scotia created its Office of Immigration in 2005 to attract and retain immigrants. It also nominates immigrants for permanent residency through four other programs: skilled workers with permanent, full-time job offers; people with long-established ties to a Nova Scotia community and people with a job offer from a family member who owns a business here. A fifth stream for those with a minimum six-month work contract is currently on hold and being redesigned, the conference was told. By 2010, the office wants to increase the yearly number of immigrants to the province to 3,600, with a retention rate of 70 per cent, Ms. Mills said. According to figures presented at the conference, 1,474 immigrants came to Nova Scotia in 2000. That number rose to 2,600 last year. At any given time, there are approximately 3,600 foreign students attending Nova Scotia universities and colleges, Ms. Mills said. Based on similar programs operating in other provinces, Nova Scotia will likely keep between five to 10 per cent of its foreign students, she said. Under the current agreement with Ottawa, Nova Scotia can nominate 400 people for permanent residency. The province hopes to lift that barrier when it enters into renegotiations in August, Ms. Mills said.
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