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Officials from the Alberta government have announced that plans to remove the Alberta Post-Graduate Worker Category have been halted indefinitely. Initially, the Alberta Post-Graduate Worker Category was to be replaced by the Alberta Opportunity Stream. These plans were to come into effect as early as the 1st of January 2018.
The decision to continue with the Alberta Post-Graduate Worker Category was made a little over two weeks ago.
“The planned changes, including the January start date, will be postponed in order for the government to continue conversations with affected stakeholders,” reads a notice published on the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program website. “However, the goal remains the same – to better position foreign workers in Alberta for long-term success under standards that will meet the federal government’s requirements. Further updates will be announced in the new year. Prospective applicants can continue to apply under the existing streams into the new year.”
The Post-Graduate Worker Category was one of the few immigration programs in Canada that offered international students a path to permanent resident status soon after graduation. Most provincial programs require that students work for at least a year after graduation before they seek permanent resident status.
The move to replace the Post-Graduation Worker Category was Strongly opposed by stakeholders, many predicted that the new plan would discourage international students from attending college or university in Alberta. This would make it even more difficult for Alberta employers to recruit top employees.
