Canada to grant a select group of international students permanent residence upon graduation with pilot program

The initiative, launching Aug. 26, is touted as a flagship measure of the new Francophone immigration strategy meant to boost the French-speaking population outside of Quebec.

“Promoting French is of prime importance to us,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in a statement on Wednesday to announce the new Francophone immigration strategy.

Ottawa is launching a new pilot program to attract and retain Francophone international students, providing them with a direct pathway for permanent residency in Canada after graduation.

The initiative is touted as a flagship measure of the new Francophone immigration strategy meant to boost the French-speaking population outside of Quebec, which has declined since 1971 from 6.1 per cent of the Canadian population outside the province to just 3.5 per cent today, threatening the country’s bilingual national identity.

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/canada-to-grant-a-select-group-of-international-students-permanent-residence-upon-graduation-with-pilot/article_4c3462f2-5a61-11ef-acfd-efa3048fdea6.html