There are multiple Canadian immigration programs that can help you transform your international student permit into permanent resident status. You can do that while you are studying or after finishing your studies. All you have to do is to make sure you qualify all the requirements for the program you are applying to.
As an international student, you must have already proven yourself to be a good fit for the Canadian lifestyle. Moreover, your language skills in English or French will be a great help to acquire permanent residency. Let us discuss some of the crucial federal economic immigration programs and provincial programs that provide good opportunities for fresh graduates.
Express Entry
Launched in 2015, Express Entry is Canada’s foremost federal economic immigration system. In this program, you are given a score via the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) based on which you will be invited to apply. It usually takes a few weeks. If you successfully acquire this invitation, you will have 60 days to provide them with your complete application.
Here the candidates are judged on the basis of age, language skills, and Canadian work and study experience. The good news is that with a Canadian post-secondary educational qualification, you can get as many as 30 additional CRS points. Below are the programs that come under Express Entry:
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Canadian Experience Class is your best bet if you are looking for a standard route to permanent residence in Canada. With one year of Canadian work experience, you can utilize CEC to gain permanent residency in Canada. Firstly acquire a post-graduation work permit that lets you work in Canada without permanent residency. After working for one year, you just need to pass the standard language test, and finally, apply for Express Entry. With enough CRS scores, no one can stop you from getting permanent residency.
Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSW)
You can also enter the express entry pool as a skilled federal worker. In case, you do not have one year of Canadian work experience but have so abroad, FSW is the best option. For this, you need to score only 67 points. They will assess your language skills, age, and previous work experience. They also see whether you have a job offer in Canada or not. You score well on the adaptability scale if you have studied in Canada.
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
To enter the Express Entry pool as a federal skilled worker, you must acquire at least two years of Canadian work experience. This work experience must be within the last five years of your life. Although there are no educational requirements, you get some additional points if you have Canadian study experience. Also, other than your language skills, they assess whether you have a full-time job offer. In case you don’t have one, you need to prove you have enough money to settle in Canada.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
Canada’s provinces also allow international students and graduates to gain permanent residency in Canada. In case, Express Entre is working fine for you, you may try these Provincial Nominee Programs. Obviously, it helps you apply for a program in the province you have studied or worked in, but do not narrow down your choices. On the other hand, there are PNPs that only allow graduates who have studied in specific provinces.
Immigration programs in Ontario have three streams for students with different levels of higher education wherein only the International Student Stream requires you to have a job offer. Quebec, however, focuses more on French-speaking skills and does not require a job offer.
Thus, you have a Canadian study experience, there are a lot of opportunities for you to gain Canadian permanent resident status. Moreover, after completing your studies, you should focus on gaining at least one year of work experience to qualify for great immigration programs.