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ONTARIO TOURISM STRATEGY SURVEY
Your insights are crucial for shaping the future of Ontario tourism. Please take a moment to complete the survey and share it within your communities as soon as possible, as the survey deadline is fast approaching, end of day tomorrow, November 1, 2024. Let’s make sure every voice is heard! Together, we can create a vibrant and inclusive tourism strategy for Ontario. Thank you for your continued support and participation!
Take the Survey Now.
POST GRADUATION WORK PERMIT CHANGES
Earlier this month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a number of details for new rules around Canada’s post graduation work permit (PGWP) eligibility. Graduates from a college program not listed as an eligible field of study will not be eligible for a post graduation work permit. The eligible academic programs are based on five broad areas including agriculture and agri-food, healthcare, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), skilled trade and transportation. Notably, tourism and hospitality, nor business programs, are PGWP eligible for students applying for a study permit on or after November 1, 2024.
This change is concerning to the industry, especially amidst the suite of announcements on immigration policy recently. There is apprehension about the long-term impacts to the tourism workforce and labour gaps, and the sustainability of tourism and hospitality postsecondary programs. TIAO is working with partners both provincially and federally to assess the impacts of this change, as well as outline a plan to advocate for programs that promote recruitment and retention of unemployed and underemployed people through job readiness training and career planning, and to look at solutions to ensure we can retain Ontario trained international talent.
Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions or comments, or would just like to chat, feel free to send me an email at msimmons@tiaontario.ca.
Happy Halloween!
Sincerely,
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