November 14, 2011
Beginning on the 5th of November, 2011, Canadian immigration’s Federal Skilled Worker program (FSW) will incorporate an eligibility category for foriegn students involved in doctoral (PhD) studies at Canadian schools.
To be eligible for this stream, applications must be received by Canadian immigration on or after the date of November 5, 2011. Furthermore, all applications must meet one of the following two sets of requirements:
International students who are currently undertaking doctoral studies in a PhD program (public or private), recognized by a territorially or provincially accredited post-secondary school, and who have finished a minimum of two years of their PhD and who are also in fair academic standing and who are not required to go back to their country of origin to utilize their education in their country of origin.
OR
Applications submitted by foreign nationals who have finished a doctoral program (PhD) from a territorially or provincially accredited post-secondary school private or public post-secondary Canadian school located, within 12 months prior to the date their application is received by the Canadian immigration. Applicants must also not be required to return to their home country after their period of study.
Those eligible to apply are still assessed under the regular pre-requisites of the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Applicants must continue to meet all the minimal requirements in order to qualify for this Canadian immigration stream.
A limit of 1,000 applications from this category will be reviewed by Canadian immigration each year. This number is completely independent from any other cap.
