July 20th, 2023 at 12:36 am
International Student’s Guide to Permanent Residency in Canada
Canada had 642,000 international students in 2022, according to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data. Canada is a rewarding and attractive study destination due to its unique multicultural environment, affordable world-class education, and the possibility of obtaining a temporary work permit after graduation.
Many students see this as the first step to becoming permanent residents (PRs) and Canadian citizens due to Canada’s welcoming immigration policies! International students in Canada can start their PR process with these options.
Immigration programs For International students
There are a few ways for international students to get into Canada:
Express Entry is a federal program that scores your application and compares it to others. International students with Canadian post-secondary degrees receive 30 CRS points. Top-ranked Express Entry applicants are invited to apply for PR every two weeks. Then you have 60 days to apply fully. Completed applications take six months to process. Depending on your situation, Express Entry may allow you:
- (CEC) Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program
- PNP stands for Provincial Nominee Program.
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Some require eligible Canadian work experience. The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP) allows graduates to work in Canada. PGWP is only for DLI graduates. Check eligibility before applying. After graduating, you may be able to work in Canada without a PGWP. Check your eligibility for other work permits.
Skilled worker immigration to Canada begins with an Express Entry profile. Express Entry profiles do not guarantee PR invitations. CRS scores and rankings in Express Entry determine PR invitations.
Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
The CEC program is for skilled workers who have worked in Canada before and want to make Canada their permanent home.
How to become an international student through CEC:
- You don’t have to have a college degree to apply through the CEC program, but if you went to school in Canada, you can get extra points.
- Take a recognized test to show that you can speak English or French well.
- If your NOC is TEER 0 or 1, which used to be NOC Skill Type 0 or Skill level A, you need CLB 7.
- If your NOC is TEER 2 or 3, which used to be Skill level B, you need CLB 5.
- Collect at least 12 months of skilled work experience in Canada in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation (previously NOC 0, A, or B). This can be full-time or part-time work or a mix of the two. Even if you were on a co-op work term, the work experience you got while you were a full-time student doesn’t count toward the minimum requirements for this program.
- Make a profile for Express Entry.
Express Entry: Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program
The FSW program is for skilled workers who have worked abroad and want to live in Canada permanently.
How to become an international student in the FSW program:
- With the FSW program, you don’t need to have a degree to apply, but if you went to school in Canada, you can get extra points.
- Take a recognized test to show that you can speak English or French well.
- All NOCs need to have CLB 7.
- Get at least 12 months of continuous work experience in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation (previously NOC 0, A, or B). This can be full-time, part-time, or a mix of both. Work experience you got while studying in Canada may count toward your minimum requirements if it was:
- paid by wages or commissions;
- continuous (no breaks in employment); and
- meets all the other requirements of the program.
- You must show that you and your family have enough money to live in Canada, unless:
- You can legally work in Canada right now; OR
- Have a real job offer from a Canadian employer
- Make a profile for Express Entry.
Express Entry: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
The PNP is for skilled workers with a lot of experience who want to move to a certain province and live there permanently.
Criteria for an international student to be able to apply for PNP:
- Complete your studies in Canada.
- Take a recognized test to show that you can speak English or French well.
- The requirements vary by province.
- Get experience on the job. The requirements and who can apply vary by province.
- Depending on the province, you may need to have a job offer.
- You can create a profile for Express Entry or apply directly to the province.
A look at the PNP for international students:
- Ontario: Has three paths for graduates at different levels –
- Stream for International Students (needs a job offer)
- Masters Graduate Stream PhD Graduate Stream
- Quebec: In Quebec, the candidate does not need a job offer as long as they have a high level of French. Check out the Graduate Quebec Studies Stream of the Quebec PEQ program for more information.
- The AIP program covers New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, but they do not have their own streams.
- There are also international graduate streams in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Note that the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut do not have special ways for international students to apply.
Express Entry: Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
The FSTP is for skilled trade workers who have worked in Canada before and want to stay there permanently.
How to apply as an international student through FSTP:
- You don’t have to have a college degree to apply through the FSTP, but if you went to school in Canada, you can get extra points.
- Take a recognized test to show that you can speak English or French well.
- CLB 5 for both listening and talking
- For reading and writing, CLB 4
- Gather at least two years of work experience (within the last five years) in a skilled trade under key groups of TEER 2 or 3 (formerly NOC B) (major groups 72, 73, 82, 92, 632, and 633).
- Either an offer of full-time work for at least one year OR a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade from a Canadian province or territory is needed.
- You must show that you and your family have enough money to live in Canada, unless:
- Are able to legally work in Canada right now; OR
- Have a real job offer from a Canadian employer
- Trade with the region. You may need a skilled Canadian job. Visit the province or territory’s trades organization website to be assessed. Destination-specific steps. If no province or territory regulates your job, the feds may. Federal laws govern aircraft mechanics. Business manager? View the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials.
- Make a profile for Express Entry.
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