Canadian provinces are offering the best migration options to International Students

by Mansi Sahai Published on 10/Jul/2022

With easing travel restrictions and various exemptions, Canadian provinces are welcoming deserving international students with open arms.

For those willing to move to Canada as an international student on a study permit, various Canadian provinces offer significant immigration benefits to overseas students and recent graduates.

Many Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) actively target international students with a valid post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

If you have completed at least one year of study program from accredited Canadian institutions, you may be eligible to apply for PGWP after graduating.

However, you have only 90 days to apply for the work permit after graduating. Upon getting PGWP approval, you may qualify to apply for a Canada PR visa to live and work anywhere in Canada.

Which Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are calling overseas students?

Each province and territory in Canada has a different PNP under which they manage different streams that are designed to fit provincial economic and demographic requirements.

A Provincial Nominee Program is individually organized and allows provinces to nominate a skilled foreign national for a permanent residence visa in Canada. Once you get a nomination, you ll qualify to submit a permanent residence application to the IRCC (Immigration, Refugee, Citizenship Canada).

Following are the top PNPs for international student:

Alberta- If you finished a post-secondary education of a minimum of one year in Alberta, you might qualify for Alberta Post-Graduate Worker Stream. Also, when applying, you must be working in Alberta.
British Columbia- If you have finished a master s or a doctoral degree in British Columbia, you can apply under International Post-Graduate Category for a provincial nomination even without a job offer.
Ontario- If you have finished a master s or a doctoral degree in Ontario, you can apply for provincial nomination under Ontario Masters & PhD Graduates stream.
Atlantic Provinces- The Atlantic provinces in Canada have a lot of study-to-stay programs under which the students get assistance throughout their studies in Canada,get career advice, and get professional training. Also, many Atlantic provinces operate their PNP streams which help overseas graduates apply for and obtain a permanent residence visa in Canada.