Seminar aims to help graduating international students get work permits on P.E.I.
International students have 180 days following their graduation to apply for a work permit
For the first time, the P.E.I. government will be hosting a seminar for recently graduated international students on how to acquire a work permit.
The event aims to take some of the Island's international students through the process of getting a work permit while helping them connect with potential future employers.
"When they graduate they are a temporary resident. In order to be able to stay and work permanently in the province, they do have a process to apply for status to remain," said Mary Hunter, director of operations with the office of immigration for the province.
Retaining international students
The event is open to international graduates and international students in their final year of study from UPEI, Holland College and Collège de I'Île.
The seminar was set up, in part, to help achieve a goal set by the province to retain at least 10 per cent of international student graduates on the Island.
We want to be able to encourage employers and to provide information on the accessibility of that talent pool.- Mary Hunter
International students have 180 days following their graduation to apply for a work permit.
Hunter said the province wants to "ensure that all students that are wanting to stay in the province have a clear understanding of what that path looks like."
"In addition, we want to be able to encourage employers and to provide information on the accessibility of that talent pool," she said.
Registration filling up
A group of former international students are set to speak at the event on their individual experiences, in addition to employers who will also be sharing their hiring experiences on the Island.
"It's about learning and it's about trying to understand the view from an international student and an employer hiring that demographic," Hunter said.
About 300 students are a part of this year's graduating classes from the Island's post-secondary institutions.
Over 100 students have already registered for the event, surpassing the province's initial goal of having between 50 and 75 international students sign up.
The event is at the Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
People interested in attending have to pre-register by emailing [email protected] or call 902-620-3438.
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With files from Angela Walker