The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

WATERIDO cummcu! 'WEdnudly.Augult 14. 2013 -3 1101ng pattern 0 D O 0 0 International student visas delayed by foreign sen/we worker strike Brian-531mm our international students, particularly new . ”Y? ‘ I ChronicleStafl' students who are getting a visa for the first ismâ€"m.- 0 time,” Buckley said. “There will definitely be ' ‘ l. ’ he ongoing strike by foreign service those (students) who faceadelay.” . j ' F ' I workers could have serious short- and Depending on the program, some stu- 4 “ long-temi impacts on Canada and its dents may need to delay their admission to if" “ . ability to remain competitive with other Laurier until January, or perhaps even until ~1 ‘ ' . - - Englishspeaking countries. next year. He couldn‘t say precisely how float is according to Nello Angerilli, assoâ€" many students might be impacted at [auri- ciate vice president of Waterloo lntemati0n~ er. but foreign students make up about five al at the University ofWaterloo. to six per cent of the graduate and under. “It's actually a very big deal," Angerilli graduate student population. said. “Unfortunately, it will have impact The Professional Association of Foreign locally and on institutions across Canada Service Officers began rotating strike action and on Canada's reputation." at 15 of Canada‘s busiest visa application â€" Currently, UW has about 16 students who offices overseas in the spring, but walked 06 may have to defer their studies this fall the job at the end ofluly. because of the delay. It may not sound like According to the CBC, the strike involves many students, but Angerilli said the finan» about 150 employees who process between ; cial impact amounts to about ($00,000 10,000 and 20,000 visas per week in major . a“ _ ' “Over four years. that can really add up." global cities, including London. Beijing. g l i. he said. About l2 per cent of all students at Delhi and Paris .;~ UW come from abroad and the impact will The workers have been without a con- not only be financial. but cultural as well. tract since lune 2011 and job action escalat» “lntemational students really add a glob ed after an attempt to seek binding arbitra- : al perspective to the dialogue. To lose one tion broke down. i " per cent (of international students) would The union says its overseas officers are f . , - not be devastating. but a couple of percent- paid between $3,000 and $14,000 less than a' j __ ,& age points would have a serious impact." those in Canada. I . ,. ,.., ’ Canada's appeal as a destination for Canada already has a reputation as a dif- “w”: w _ international students could take a serious ficult country for international students to t...- » , , ' . hit. Angerilli said. Many students in China get a visa. Angerilli said, and that reputation . i ‘ , l and India rely on agents to direct them to will only worsen as wait times for visas grow, ' ‘ certain schools. but these agents are only When assessing the amount of time it Studentswollt amide the Quantum-None Canoe "the University of Waterloo last fall paid once the student is approved and pays takes countries to process visa applications. new mu their tuition, meaning if there is a potential Angerilli said Canada consistently ranks last for the visa application to be delayed. agents in a list that includes the United Kingdom. issue as quickly as possible with a deal that He said the unique nature of the job pct may begin promoting other Englishspeak Australia, the us and New Zealand. is fair to both union members and taxpay» formed by these workers makes it dih‘itult to ing countries instead of(anada. A student from China looking to study in ers. but he says it's up to the union to come compare to other foreign service wages. and uw doesn't use agents. but other institu the ”it. will receive a responsein about 48 back to the table to discussadeal. he said the union is refusing to give up its tions in (anada do hours as to whether or not they can get a “I'm hopeful we can come to a resolution demands for voluntary severance paid out “l ran guarantee that ntht‘ agents? Will bt‘ \'l\a lot the U 5. that increases to about it) as quickly as possible.’ Braid said when a worker quits their job. counselling (hf‘lf students to forget about days, and 30m 35 days in New Yealand He said immigration (anada has hired ‘lt's not appropriate in today's l‘()lllt'\l (anada and think about Australia or New How long did it take for Canada to temporary staff to try and deal With the he said li-alandf Angcnlli said rtwpond before the strike? About 30 dais. backlog of applications and he encourages The government has spent millions ”- flit-re is some flexibility in the scht‘dulmg Angerilli said anyone considering a visa application in dollars over the last few years to build ( «Hid at ”W to allow students to start fht‘ll pro “()ur reputation in that area has always (anada to applyas soon as possible da's reputation as a destination for stiitlvtitx gram in lanuary onto their nsa is prtx’t-sst‘d been prtiblematit‘.“ he said. "We put in plate Braid also magnified the potential long including 310 million for an lllll'flldlllllliil but that isn't true for all ficldsofstudy 4 lot of obstacles and barriers and ask for tt-rm impacts the strike may have on the education strategy in 2011. but any progrt-v lom Bur klcy assistant Vice presidt'til of tl()( uriit-iitaiion that (an often ht‘ diffit llll future prospects of students choosing to made under this funding I mild tum be- if atatlemit V‘H’K't'fl (it Wilfrid lauru'r Hum-i for stiidt-ritsi to supply” study and research in (anada. and said the ieopardy my, shares some of Angt'rilli‘s worm-s Kiri ht-nt-r Waterloo Ml’ Petr-r llraid send union is likely awart' of the ways it ran lever "(The strike) has the Wilt'llllill to t itnitirtr "It's definitely a ('()n((‘fll for it number til ll“ gtivr-rtittit-tit is working to resolve lllt' agt' that impact a temporary setback,” Braid mud Eye Exams. “1.3 ' "or?" Q 0 O E. Book your Eye Exam through us and you Wlll receive Still the may store 1 . . t . , , - Fm I'ilisltliin lonesome. am "one 2013 no n - , s-z‘f‘fv.‘ ». V g Eye Glasses . Sunglasses fiol‘ Free Ant"Glare saatCh \. a.“ 1 ‘lfflf \ t .. , , t‘N . . - - , g t... 0 Soft Contact Lenses “mm“ “at“ J ,. y, WHEN PURCNAS‘NG NEW GLASSES‘ SATURDAY EYE EXAMS AVAILABLE ' 5194414233