New bill might help international students get citizenship faster > Bill C-6 will count 50 per cent of students time in Canada towards requirements Aliona Kuts The Dialog (George Brown College) An federal law proposes changes that could make getting Canadian citizenship easier for international students. Bill C-6, An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act, was recently introduced into the House of Commons and is now before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. “The changes proposed in Bill C-6 would provide for greater flexibility for citizenship applicants to meet the requirements for citizenship and to help immigrants achieve citizenship faster,’ said Faith St-John, a spokesperson from the department of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship. In the proposed bill, international students will be able to count 50 per cent of their study time towards the physical residency requirement for citizenship, said John Porter, director of International Admission and Student Services. The new requirements would mean that international students would only need to reside three of the last five years in the Canada. “We are very supportive of Immigration Minister John McCallum the changes that the government is making as they recognize the great value and contribution that international students bring to Canadian society, culture and economy,” said Porter. If the legislation goes through, each day that an international student is in Canada could be counted as a half-day toward meeting the physical presence requirement for citizenship said St-John. Under the existing Citizenship Act, people cannot count time they spent in Canada before becoming a permanent resident towards meeting the physical presence requirement for citizenship, St-John added. Individuals applying for citizenship who benefit from the half-time credit for time spent in Canada before becoming a permanent resident would still need to be physically present in Canada for two years as a Photo by Fred Chartrand via CP permanent resident before being eligible for citizenship. Separately, according to Porter, Canada’s Immigration Minister John McCallum has committed to a review and reform of the points-based Express Entry system, an immigration program that was launched under the former Conservative government system. “We're not sure what those reforms will look like going forward, but we hope, at a Wheels on the bus go to negotiations > Transit operators vote in favour of taking job action Mercedes Deutscher News Editor fter failing to agree on a new contract with TransLink, members of Unifor Local 11 and 2200—the unions that represent 3,700 transit operators—voted on April 28 whether or not to go on strike. Turnout was high, with 98 per cent in favour of the strike. At this time, this does not mean that bus drivers, SeaBus operators, and other TransLink staff will be walking off of the job; however, the unions will be going to the negotiating table with the Coast Mountain Bus Company, the section of TransLink that they are hired by. The unions may choose to take job action if negotiations fail by giving 72 hours notice. If job action occurs, bus services will be dramatically reduced, with busier routes having reduced service and quieter routes ceasing to operate at all. The SkyTrain will still continue to operate as normal, perhaps increasing non- peak-hour service to transport fe ih an increase in passengers. The unions have requested higher wages, increased benefits, and better work environments as part of their demands. Workers have said they experienced more “service optimization,” which resulted in cuts to service, overcrowding of remaining services, and layoffs, according to the Vancouver Sun. Breaks . arg have also been an issue. “There’s no respite for operators at the end of the line; there are few opportunities to go to the washroom or take on a nutrition break,” Nathan Woods, president of Unifor 11, said to the Vancouver Sun. “You've got to improve opportunities for respite.” Contract negotiations were originally supposed to take place Photo via TransLink in 2014, but their pre-existing contract was extended by a year so that TransLink could better focus on the 2015 plebiscite. In the April 6 contract negotiations preceding the vote for job action, Coast Mountain tried to negotiate a contract that would take away previous benefits won in a 2001 strike. “We're looking forward minimum, that the government will consider increasing the number of points given to international students for their Canadian education credential and work experience,” said Porter. Decreasing the number of points applicants gain for receiving a government-approved job offer would be great too, said Porter, since international students often have a hard time acquiring such an offer. The fees to apply for Permanent Residency will remain the same, under the proposed changes, according St-John. The proposed changes support the federal government’s goal of making it easier for immigrants to build successful lives in Canada, reuniting their families and contributing to the economic success of all Canadians. The time credit would also encourage skilled individuals to come to Canada to study or work, and would benefit groups like protected persons and parents and grandparents on visitors’ visas, added St-John. Bill C-6 has passed through the House of Commons and is now being discussed by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. to meeting with the employer on May 9,” Woods said to CTV News. “Hopefully they come back and have a package that we can look at and get down to negotiating again.” TransLink maintains in a statement that they wish to resolve the issue quickly and fairly through negotiations. The last time that these unions went on strike was in 2001, where job action lasted for four-and-a-half months until the union was legislated back to work, although a satisfactory contract was created afterwards. It followed similar patterns to the 2014 BC Teachers Federation strike, with suggestions of binding arbitration and intense intervention by long- time mediator Vince Ready. Low-income employees were particularly affected, as many were unable to get to work without public transit. Smaller businesses also suffered under the strike, losing up the 7o per cent profit since fewer people could access them.