Brain gain: keeping international scientists in Canada, part II

By David Kent. This is Part 2 of a two-part series on immigration issues relevant to international trainees in science. I hope readers will find this a useful springboard for further discussion and share their thoughts and experiences with us in the comments section. This series of blog posts should not be considered legal advice. Rather, the intention is to create a framework to facilitate the sharing of ideas and experiences. We will attempt to link to official sources wherever appropriate, encourage our commenters to do the same, and we will remind readers to consult the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website as the only authoritative and up-to-date source of information.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) stream is a popular choice for skilled workers hoping to immigrate to Canada. Because applying to the program doesn’t require a permanent job offer (increasingly rare in today’s economic climate), the CEC is especially attractive to recent university graduates working in temporary positions or on contracts. A full list of requirements to apply to the program is available on the CIC website; some of these are discussed in detail below. More...