Not a month after opening up work permits for international students looking to live and work in British Columbia after graduating from a provincial university, Ottawa has just announced a work permit expansion for students who want to work off campus during their studies.

Effective immediately, international students studying at eligible private post-secondary institutions in B.C. can now apply for off-campus work permits. Previously, only international students at public universities and colleges in the province were able to apply.

The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Honourable Wally Oppal, B.C. Attorney General and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism, and Honourable Murray Coell, B.C. Minister of Advanced Education, announced Tuesday the expansion of the Off-Campus Work Permit Program for international students in B.C.

"The Government of Canada is committed to attracting newcomers to Canada, and helping them succeed once they arrive," said Minister Finley. "This pilot will provide more international students with opportunities to work off-campus and to gain Canadian work experience. It complements our recent improvements to the post-graduate work program and our efforts to make Canada a more attractive choice for international students."

On April 21, Ottawa announced that under the Post-Graduate Work Permit program international students will be able to obtain, for the first time, an open three-year work permit with no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement for a job offer.

Students in the newly expanded OCWP Program can ease into the post-graduate program as the off-campus work permit is valid for up to 90 days after graduation, thus allowing them to search for post-graduation jobs.

"The Province of British Columbia sees increases in immigration, temporary workers and international students as key to helping B.C. achieve its economic goals for the coming decade," said Minister Oppal. "The expansion of this program will assist international students in our province to obtain work and potentially to choose British Columbia as their future home."

"This pilot will provide international students with more options to help further their studies," said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. "We appreciate the enrichment international students bring to British Columbia and encourage potential students to experience B.C. as the best place on earth to live, work and play."

Giving students access to off-campus work permits also gives Canadian institutions a competitive advantage for attracting the best and brightest international students.

The pilot program will be in place for a four-year period, after which point a comprehensive review will be undertaken by the province. The pilot project is being implemented on a province-by-province basis. British Columbia is the third province to participate in the pilot, following Manitoba and Alberta.

For more information about participating B.C. institutions in the Off-Campus Work Program, visit www.learnlivebc.ca/off-campus-work/participating.htm .