Canada is a dream destination for most international students pursuing education at the top-rated Canadian institutions. They aspire to become permanent residents after their studies, as Canada has diverse work opportunities and a chance to enjoy the superior quality of life.
International students face multiple challenges of stiff competition from aspiring immigrants from outside Canada and a spike in the number of temporary residents. Being an international student in Canada does not guarantee permanent residence without a strategic approach. Consulting a Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant is helpful to boost the chances of getting a PR visa.
Exploring PR opportunities
The most prominent pathways to Canadian permanent residency are federal Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs. Prospective immigrants can receive Invitations to Apply for permanent residence by becoming eligible for federal or provincial immigration programs.
A recent introduction of category-based Express Entry selection highlights the significance of supporting the immigration of skilled workers across high-demand sectors, like healthcare, transportation, STEM, and agriculture.
Several provinces introduced the category-based selection of candidates applying for immigration through their Provincial Nominee Programs. These rounds of invitations help meet the acute labor shortages across Canada’s provinces and territories. Most provincial and federal immigration streams focus on trades, healthcare, and tech occupations.
An effective strategy to improve PR prospects
International students must adopt a multi-pronged approach to improve their chances of becoming permanent residents. These should comprise:
- Getting skilled work experience in high-demand skills
- Consider the option of rural immigration
- Achieve bilingual proficiency
Canada provides multiple immigration pathways to international students. The country aims to welcome over 883,635 new immigrants by 2026 through various economic immigration pathways. A sharp focus on aligning skills with high-demand occupations is a suitable approach to multiplying chances of getting a PR status.
Acquiring high-demand skills
Marc Miller, Canada’s immigration minister, highlighted the need to align Canada’s labor market needs while granting permanent residence status to international students. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a plan to establish a strong association between employers, students, and post-secondary institutions. The plan focuses on enhancing the International Student Program with work-related learning.
IRCC is planning steps to facilitate main industry sectors battling labor shortages by enhancing the Post-graduation Work Permit Program. Getting skilled work experience in any of the 82 high-demand occupations is the most helpful strategy for Post-graduation Work Permit holders. It helps them improve their chances of getting PR through Express Entry.
Canada’s rural immigration pathways
International students can avoid high competition in the most sought-after federal and provincial immigration programs by exploring rural immigration pathways. The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program allows international students to become permanent residents in small territories in rural and northern Canada.
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will expand the scope of the Rural and Northern Immigration Program (RNIP) by adding more towns and communities. IRCC will make the program permanent because of its popularity among prospective immigrants.
Credential improvement
Getting additional credentials to boost educational qualifications is a helpful approach to adding more points to the Express Entry profile or points grid for provincial immigration. Extending education is an easy way to increase the length of the Post-graduation Work Permit (PGWP), as there is a direct correlation between the duration of the study program and the Post-graduation Work Permit.
Improving language abilities to get a better Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is a standard approach to ensure permanent residence through federal and provincial immigration programs. International students must explore adding another language to their language skills. The Francophone category-based Express Entry draw has less competition, and learning French may help international students speed up their permanent residence.
