Colleges Ontario President Marketa Evans recently wrote an open letter to Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Marc Miller expressing “strong objection” to the recent federal changes that end automatic work permits for international students who attend public colleges. Evans argues that this policy undermines Ontario’s ability to address labour market needs. The author also highlights the potential strain on the health-care sector and questions why students in degree-granting college nursing programs would not qualify for the same work permit as those in university nursing degree programs, given that nursing programs are regulated by the province. Evans concludes by calling for the federal government to collaborate with ON to ensure that the new work permit system considers the province’s needs.
