International Student Services news

Students experiencing study permit delays can start at McGill as late as September 17, 2013. The labour dispute involving Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Foreign Services officers, affecting the timeliness of Canadian study permit approvals, continues. You may be experiencing significant delays receiving notification of the approval of your study permit. If your study permit approval has been delayed, please read the rest of this message carefully as we are preparing alternatives for you.

The following is posted on the Processing Times page of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada: Alert – Strike Action The Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) union is currently taking strike action. PAFSO union members responsible for processing visa applications have been walking out of offices in Canada and overseas.

The following message is being sent to all new and continuing international students by Enrolment Services: Hello, Citizenship and Immigration Canada advises that it is experiencing a labour dispute and that anyone applying for a study permit should anticipate delays and submit their application as far in advance as possible.

Canada's Immigration Officers on Strike The following update was posted on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website: Notice – Strike Action June 11, 2013 — The Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) union is currently taking strike action. PAFSO union members responsible for processing visa applications have been walking out of offices in Canada and overseas.

It is essential that you pick up your international health insurance card prior to December 21 at Service Point as the University will be closed as of December 24th for the holidays. While travelling abroad, your International Health Insurance (Blue Cross) coverage is limited to emergencies only, which includes hospital board and room expenses, physicians’ fees, laboratory fees, and any other exp

Montreal is magical over the holidays; if you're staying in town, take in all the incredible sights, events, and activities the city has to offer! Tourism Montreal offers some great tips on:

Chaplaincy Services gives away 500+ winter coats to students in need every year By Neale McDevitt - for the McGill Reporter Like war and childbirth, a Montreal winter cannot be adequately described with mere words. It is a physical test that defies intellectualization. You have to live it to really understand it. And “live it” might be a little optimistic – “survive it” is probably more apropos.

Posted on Friday, September 7, 2012

Being the spouse of a new international student can be overwhelming which is why International Student Services invites all spouses of new international students to sign up for the McGill International Spouses Club (MISC): http://www.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents/misc/

International Student Services has organized Permanent Residency Information Sessions which are facilitated by Immigration Quebec.

International Student Services is organizing International Education Week in collaboration with MISN, CaPS and Dialog Foundation.

The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund(MMMF) is an outreach program of the World Bank Family Network.

The International Student Buddy Program is getting underway, in preparation for the new students who will be arriving in January 2010.

If you think you have H1N1, please report your illness and absence from academic activities on Minerva with the H1N1 Self-Reporting form. For students, this form will be treated as equivalent to a medical note should you need to request an excused absence or an academic accommodation (e.g. a postponed deadline for an assignment or missed test).

International students can get the H1N1 vaccination free of charge provided they have proof that they are residents of Montreal.