International Students in the U.S., Canada is your One Genuine Option for Immigration

July 15, 2020

spscanada

A piece of difficult news was announced by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 6, 2020, for many international students, who were waiting to pursue their courses in the United States – they would either have to leave the country or risk deportation, if the universities they are enrolled have switched to an online-only format, for the upcoming Fall 2020 semester.

This move of U.S. was likely to affect thousands of students, who are either waiting to start their program or have already been in the U.S. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many universities and colleges have been opting for online classes.

However, a federal judge announced Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that the U.S. Department of Homeland  Security, has rescinded a July 6 policy that would have forced international students studying in the U.S. to enroll in-person courses to remain rightfully in the country, after Harvard and MIT filed a lawsuit against it, which was supported by 17 more states and hundreds of other universities. Hence, international students can take the full-online course for the fall 2020 semester.

Previously, the policy mentioned that:  

Students enrolled in schools for the fall semester that is conducted fully online would not be issued visa and not permitted to enter the country. Currently, active students must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to other schools that have implemented in-person programs to attend.

Also, eligible students were permitted to take a maximum of one class or three credit hours online. Institutions offering both online and in-person classes could enroll in more than one class or three credit hours online.

Students in non-immigrant students in the United States were not allowed to take a full course that is conducted online-only and was required to leave the country or take other alternatives to maintain the status, for example, take a reduced course load or get an appropriate medical leave.

All this created anxiety in international students, and as they had few options for the fall semester, and many even considered the alternative of choosing a new country to pursue their studies. If you are still considering alternatives, Canada can be your option.

Moving to Canada 

And your decision might just be right! While U.S. has been toughening its rules, Canada has been creating opportunities for many immigrants. For example:

Example 1: International students can work more than 20 hours in the essential industries due to the COVID-19, temporarily.

Example 2: Also, students who cannot travel due to many travel restrictions in place, can pursue their courses online and complete up to 50% of it from their home country, if you are unable to come to Canada sooner. This would still count towards their post-graduate work permit, and time is not deducted for the length of your post-graduate work permit, for the studies completed between fall 2020 and December 31, 2020.

Example 3: Work permits under the essential service industries are being processed sooner, especially for agri-food, agriculture, and health care.

These are just a few examples of how Canada is helping newcomers and immigrants in its land to create opportunities for, even when the world is battling with the outbreak. With these steps to accommodate the needs of many international students, Canada has been well-supported by the immigrants in its ways to overcome the COVID outbreak scenario that left many in jeopardy.

Studying in Canada is one of the many options in Canada, however, there are many more possibilities for immigration and securing a future in the land of immigrants through the express entry, and other provincial programs.

So, if you are considering your alternative, Canada can just be the right place for you! There are various ways to get in Canada, and if you would like to discuss your options for Canada, we are here to help! You can simply start your assessment and begin your pathway for Canadian immigration.

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