2023 turned out to be yet another historic year for immigration to Canada, as rising immigration numbers continue to meet the nation’s labor market and demographic demands.
Former foreign students are among the largest groups of new permanent residents that Canada receives each year. These students come to study here and have the chance to earn the right to permanent residence (PR). One of the primary reasons Canada is still a top choice for international students studying abroad is the abundance of immigration prospects in the nation.
In 2023, how many overseas students obtained permanent residency status?
62,410 foreign students—technically, overseas graduates—became permanent citizens of Canada as of November 2023, according to the most current Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data. Compared to the 52,740 international graduates who enrolled as international students in 2022, this figure indicated a 9,670 rise.
The aforementioned number, which is made possible by the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), shows students who pursued permanent residency by means of the road of establishing eligibility through work experience after graduation.
After graduating, certain international students were able to seek permanent residency (usually through special Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams reserved for international graduates). In 2023, 23,150 of these foreign students were granted permanent residency.
What is the typical process by which foreign students get permanent residency?
In contrast to several other well-liked overseas study locations, Canada offers dedicated channels for foreign graduates seeking employment and immigration prospects after their education. For the 62,410 international students who obtained PR status in the previous year, this is the typical route. We’ll use Saahil’s fictitious situation to better show how people could go through this procedure.
Saahil is an Indian foreign student who recently finished a two-year civil engineering college program. Saahil may now apply for a PGWP because his college is a Designated Learning Institution (DLI), which are the only educational institutions in Canada authorized to admit overseas students, and because his particular course qualifies for a work permit after graduation.
Saahil is now qualified to work for the majority of Canadian businesses across most industries after obtaining his PGWP. Given the duration of his course, which was two years, he should earn a PGWP that is valid for an equivalent period of time. Saahil may now work in Canada and increase his eligibility for permanent residence. A minimum of one year of qualifying, full-time job experience is required for the majority of economic immigration programs (more on this later).
*PGWPs are typically granted for the duration of a student’s study term, with a three-year maximum validity period.
Saahil has chosen to apply via the Express Entry application management system for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) immigration pathway—a decision that is frequently made by overseas grads. During his PGWP, Saahil must receive one year of competent full-time job experience (work experience earned while a student is not included). This job experience must total 1,560 hours, or 30 hours of full-time work each week for a year, and fall within the same National Occupation Classification (NOC) Training Education Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) level. Furthermore, Saahil’s employment must be at the NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 level.
Saahil has to pass a language exam in order to complete the requirements before submitting his candidate profile to the Express Entry pool after gaining this job experience. He will require a score in all four areas (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) in either English or French that is equal to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 7, or 5, depending on the TEER level of his position.
Saahil can finally submit a profile to the Express Entry pool when he receives an eligible score. Saahil will receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for PR if his profile is selected. After that, he has 60 days from the date of his ITA to provide more paperwork in support of his PR application.
Saahil’s application for permanent residency (COPR or e-COPR) will be handled by IRCC, if he meets all eligibility requirements and is approved. He will then obtain a document verifying his new status in the nation. He is then free to make Canada his permanent home.