Canada-in-India Student Partners Program

Centennial College has been selected by the federal government to host the official announcement of the successful Canada-in-India Student Partners Program, which was established to smooth the visa application process for eligible students in India.

The joint pilot project was launched in April 2009 between Canada’s visa offices in India and 20 member colleges of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). The goal of the program is to increase the approval rate for study permit applications destined to participating colleges, of which Centennial is one.

The partnership between Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and ACCC includes concrete commitments on both sides to improve the number of Indian students studying at Canadian colleges. Through the program, CIC’s offices in India received more than 4,000 applications from Indian students in the first nine months of the program.

Centennial College has been the biggest beneficiary of the pilot project, making the college a natural venue to host the announcement. The news conference will take place this Thursday, January 28 at 1 pm in the Student Centre Main Events Hall at Progress Campus.

Federal MP Tim Uppal (Edmonton-Sherwood Park) will speak on behalf of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney, who will not be present. Paul Brennan, Vice-President for International Partnerships, will speak on behalf of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges.

President Ann Buller and CCSAI President Vishal Member will speak on behalf of Centennial and the many international students who will benefit from the program's expansion. Vishal himself is an international student from India. Emcee Melissa Bhagat will deliver the opening remarks.