Immigration Canada's new changes will benefit international students, especially Indians and aid in their move to the country, experts said.

The changes under the Express Entry programme on November 18, will grant permanent residency to skilled immigrants, especially to students seeking jobs in the country graduated from Canadian universities.

The department issued a statement saying, “part of a number of improvements the government is making on a continual basis to bring changes for a more fair and responsive immigration system that will address emerging needs and ensure long-term economic growth for the middle class”.

“With these changes, more former international students will be able to transition to permanent residence using the Express Entry system. Former international students are a key source of candidates in Express Entry because of their age, education, skills and experience." And “In addition to the time already spent in Canada, integrating into Canadian society permanently will be easier because they will have established social networks and familiarised themselves with life in Canada.”

Canada is home to more than 1.25 million people of Indian origin and a record 19 Indo-Canadians were elected to Parliament in last year’s general election, reported Hindustan Times.

India is the second largest source country for permanent residents in Canada, accounting for more than 1,355,653 or 3.86 per cent of the Canadian population. The number of Indian students rose by 630 per cent to 48,914 in 2015, from just 6,675 in 2004, and constituted 13.7 per cent of the total foreign student population.

With the new residency plan, Indian students in Canada seeking permanent residency after completing education will benefit from a revision in the Express Entry Programme (EEP). Under the new EEP, students’ education will fetch them points from November 19. This will be based on the courses they take up and the time they spend in Canada.

Canada's Express Entry immigration follows a point-system, based on a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) that determines the number of points one can get for each profile factor, such as age, education, work experience, language proficiency.

Under this system, a post-secondary education of three years or more would fetch 30 points, and a one- or two-year diploma, 15 points.

"Previously, those applying for permanent residency could earn up to 150 points based on their educational qualifications. The only advantage for those who had studied in Canada was that they did not have to prove the equivalency of their degrees. Under the new system, applicants (foreign students) with a Canadian educational credential will get up to 30 additional points. This will strengthen their profile in the express entry pool for better chances of selection against other applicants," explains Ontario-based Talha Mohani, immigration law expert and MD at Migration Bureau Corp, according to a Times of India report.

Bessma Momani, a professor at the University of Waterloo and Jillian Stirk of the Simon Fraser University Centre for Dialogue said Canada should put the marketing of its universities into high gear.

In an opinion piece, they wrote that in “Canada, we capture nearly $8-billion a year from international students who pay higher tuition fees than domestic students, and who contribute to our economy by spending on housing, food and all other aspects of living.”

According to a 2012 study commissioned by Global Affairs Canada,  international students created 86,570 jobs and contributed nearly half-a-million dollars directly to the public coffers in a single year. From employing teachers and instructors to providing language training to support services and giving a boost to internal tourism, international students are a net benefit to our economy.

“We already attract nearly 336,000 international students, bringing vital economic stimulus to every part of Canada. But the time is ripe now to strategically increase our recruitment of international students. There is a global unease that Mr. Trump’s America may not be as welcoming to foreigners and visible minorities.

“Parents and students have some legitimate concerns, as there are already reported increases in hate crimes across the United States since the election. Sadly, students of visible minorities on American campuses have experienced a surge of incidences of intimidation and verbal abuse since the election.

“The time to act is now. The end of the fall season is when universities begin recruitment for next year’s admissions. The United States attracts nearly a million students a year to its universities. Among the fastest-growing senders of international students include Nigeria, China, Vietnam, Brazil, France and India. Canada should aim to take a big chunk of these students.

“As most parts of Europe are also dealing with their own rise of populism and ethno-nationalist parties that make many minorities and prospective international students feel increasingly unwelcome, Canada can benefit from this sad state. We are, it seems, a rare beacon of a liberal society, welcoming to visible and religious minorities.

“Indeed, when Global Affairs Canada surveyed international students who are in Canada about why they chose this country to embark on their studies, they noted the quality of our institutions, this country’s reputation as a tolerant society and a high reputation for public safety. Let’s make lemonade out of the uncertainty in U.S. politics by increasing our intake of international students.

“This requires a concerted effort to use global media, foreign embassies and international university fairs to remind the world of Canada’s great postsecondary institutions.

And as our Prime Minister is one of the most popular world leaders today, it would be a great time for Justin Trudeau to use his global social media visibility to tell prospective students and families that Canada is back and welcoming their young people to our universities.”