The Chambers of Commerce in Quesnel, Vanderhoof, Mackenzie, and Prince George issued a joint statement expressing concern over the federal government's new restrictions on international students' work opportunities post-graduation.
In the Oct. 15 statement, the three Chambers pointed out that the policy allows students from universities to automatically qualify for postgraduate work permits, but limits access for graduates from the College of New Caledonia (CNC) and other colleges unless a specific labour shortage is identified.
They said this "unfairly targets" the college and will cause harm to the regional economy in north-central B.C.
The Chambers argue this policy undermines efforts to promote rural immigration and directs international students toward more costly urban institutions, disadvantaging regional colleges like CNC. They emphasize that CNC graduates should have equal access to work opportunities as those from larger universities.
“On one hand, the federal government has a rural immigration program to encourage new Canadians to live and work outside of the major metropolitan areas but then it sets policy that steers international students to more expensive universities in the big cities, rather than programs at regional colleges like CNC,” the statement read.
“International students graduating from CNC programs should be able to qualify to work in north-central BC as easily as international students graduating from UBC or the University of Toronto.”
The impact extends beyond CNC, affecting the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and creating broader economic repercussions across the region.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is preparing to vote on three related policy resolutions in response. Neil Godbout, executive director of the Prince George Chamber, and Ron Camp, chair of the advocacy committee, attended the Canadian Chamber's AGM to advocate for these changes.
