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Posted on May 13 2021

Canada offers many pathways for students to move to the country

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By  Editor
Updated May 25 2023

Are you interested in knowing what options are available to you to stay in Canada after you graduate from there? If yes, then we are glad that you are reading this!

Several immigration programs consider you a worthier and more prospective candidate if you have a Canadian credential as well as a work experience in Canada. Having a work experience in Canada will lead you to more opportunities than a graduate who only has a degree from Canada.

Canada offers a PGWP that you can utilize after you are done with your graduation. PGWP allows you to work in Canada at any location in the country as long as the permit stays valid. The PGWP is of 3 years validity.

But even after your PGWP validity is over, you can stay back in Canada for a while using a bridging open work permit. This open permit is useful for you to legally stay in Canada until a decision on your application for renewal is pending.

If you want to rate the immigration programs offered by Canada, you must be doing so based on factors like:

  • the kind of experience you possess
  • your highest education qualification
  • how patient you are with the processing of your application
  • where you plan to live in Canada
  • where you are staying in Canada
  • how much you are ready to pay in application fees
  • proficiency in your official language
  • the work experience you possess

Here are a few options available to you if you are an international student, who graduated from Canada.

Express Entry

Economic-class immigrants have the Express Entry pathway to use to arrive in Canada via immigration programs namely FSWP, FSTP, and CEC. These are Canada immigration programs for the highly skilled.

Just get your profile created in the Express Entry and become eligible for more than one program to move to Canada as a Canada PR.

CRS is the points-based system used by Express Entry to rank your profile. The higher your score, the better your chances of becoming a Canadian permanent resident.

Entry is free to the Express Entry pool.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

It’s a highly popular practice for immigrants to hitch a ride to Canada PR through provincial draws, getting invited to apply for a provincial nomination. Every Canadian province has an immigration program that helps meet its need for skilled and talented workers to contribute to their economy.

So, what does the province do? It scans through profiles of candidates either created in the Express Entry or in the provincial immigration system.

The candidates who want to try this path must first apply for a provincial nomination from the province. If you have applied and have been nominated by the province, such nomination will back up your application for a Canada permanent residence.

Then, the Canadian government decides on your PR application. Having the sole power to grant you permanent residence, the government may approve your application if all goes well!

Now, not all PNPs are designed for international students. But there are a few that they can use. Let’s check out what does different Canadian provinces offer international students in this regard.

Ontario

Ontario offers the following streams for international students to help them get to their Canada PR dream:

  • Masters Graduate Stream
  • D. Graduate Stream

Candidates aren’t required to have job offers from the province to apply under these streams.

Manitoba

If you graduated from a post-graduate institute in Manitoba, you may use the International Education Stream offered by the province. The stream has the following sub-categories:

  • Graduate Internship Pathway
  • Career Employment Pathway
  • Student Entrepreneur Pathway

Saskatchewan

International graduates who recently graduated from an eligible post-secondary institution may apply under the Students sub-category of the Saskatchewan Experience category. For this stream, you will need a full-time job offer from an approved employer in Saskatchewan.

An approved employer will have registered on the SINP employer website. You will receive a job approval letter from the provincial government that you can attach with your application to the SINP.

British Columbia

BC offers many options for international graduates via the EEBC and SI streams. The sub-categories of these streams require the candidates to have job offers from employers in the province. But, if you have eligibility for the International Post Graduate category, a job offer won’t be mandatory for you.

New Brunswick

International students who graduated from New Brunswick may be eligible for the Skilled Worker Stream of New Brunswick. If you are a foreigner with a job offer from an employer in New Brunswick, this stream is for you.

This stream isn’t particularly meant for international students. However, international students, who have completed a 1-year program at a post-secondary institute in New Brunswick are allowed to apply under this stream. They can skip the requirement for 1-year work experience as well.

Nova Scotia

Are you a graduate with at least 2 years’ study done at a university or college in Nova Scotia? Then you can apply under the International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream.

You will be required to have the experience of operating your own business in the province for a minimum of 1 year. You must also be willing to settle in Nova Scotia.

Prince Edward Island

PEI offers the International Graduate Stream meant for international students who graduated recently from post-secondary institutes in the province. These candidates must have a job offer in the province. The job offer must be in a skilled profession that matches the student’s field of study.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland & Labrador offers 2 streams for international graduates. Those are the following:

  • The International Graduate category, which is for graduates who did graduation from any eligible Canadian institution. They must be working or must have a job offer from an employer in the province. The job must be in the candidate’s field of study.
  • The International Graduate Entrepreneur category is for graduates from Newfoundland & Labrador who are willing to run a business in the province.

Quebec

Quebec maintains its own economic immigration program.  International students who studied in the province may have the eligibility for the PEQ (Quebec Experience Program). Besides a job offer and work experience, you must prove that you have a strong command of the French language.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot

Slated to be a permanent immigration program in 2022, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot lets employers in the Atlantic provinces recruit skilled foreigners. The immigration candidates will get a pathway to Canada PR.

International students becoming graduates from eligible institutions from Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island could apply for this pilot program.

This pilot program allows international graduates to apply for Canada PR without any previous work experience.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

If you found this blog engaging, you may also like…

Canada gives answers to FAQs on its new immigration streams

Note:

PR – Permanent Residence/Permanent Resident

CRS – Comprehensive Ranking System

EOI – Expression of Interest

PNP – Provincial Nominee Program

PGWP – Post Graduate Work Permit

FSWP – Federal Skilled Worker Program

FSTP – Federal Skill Trades Program

CEC – Canadian Experience Class

PEI – Prince Edward Island

SINP – Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program

BC – British Columbia

EEBC – Express Entry BC

SI – Skills Immigration

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