5 Ways International Students Can Increase Their Chances of Canadian Permanent Residency
For decades, the international students have been flowing to study at Canadian Universities and Canadian Colleges due to their high rankings, general diverse surroundings, and the opportunity to work in another country; which made studying there very attractive.
Applying for a Canadian degree and then gathering relevant work experience will increase the candidate’s chances of obtaining Canadian PR. Students who graduate from certain DLIs stand a chance to score additional points through Canada’s Express Entry system, which gives them an edge over other applicants.
But studying in Canada does not promise permanent residency ever. Further, Canada has various options for post-study work and settlement, which are also based on the skills, qualification, and profession chosen by a candidate for eligibility under those categories.
Immigration policy changes are being enacted in Canada with the labour market in mind. With an increasingly competitive pool of qualified candidates, transitioning from a study permit into permanent residency becomes more difficult. The following are some steps international students looking to live long-term in Canada can take in order to boost their ranking points.
Table of Contents
Stay Updated With The Latest Immigration Policy Updates
Canada is the country that continuously works on improving its immigration system policies for the benefit of the country’s economy. Moreover, it will be highly commendable that international students who may apply to Permanent Residency programs get informed about different programs they could be eligible for.
Earlier this year, the government announced that international students in programs subject to “curriculum licensing agreements” would no longer be eligible for a PGWP upon graduation.
Private institutions are often licensed to offer curricula that is linked to a public college and frequently deliver programs with less accountability than that required for programs offered by public colleges. To avoid any possible issues with eligibility, students should ensure that they determine what programs are PGWP-eligible before pursuing Canadian work experience.
Choose In-Demand Careers
In 2023, Category-specific Express Entry draws were introduced, targeting certain occupations and skill requirements. These categories include:-
- Healthcare
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
- Trades
- Transportation
- Agriculture & Agri-Food
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
PNP – All the provinces and territories in Canada, offers PNP that bring skilled workers to settle or live in their respective territories according to requirement.
Moreover, in case an international student who does not have a good enough Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and or does not fall under a category-based draw, they should check their eligibility for a provincial nomination (PNP) which can also be important part to be a Permanent Residency in Canada.
There are two main pathways under the PNP:
- Through Express Entry, where provinces award eligible candidates an additional 600 CRS points, increasing their chances for permanent residency in Express Entry (known as the “enhanced nomination”).
- Directly through the PNP itself (the “basic nomination”).
Students can apply through education and employment to more than 80 different regional economic programs offered in Canada for permanent residency. However, the criteria for PNP differ according to the economic priorities of each province.
Improve Your Language Skills
English and French which are Canada’s two official languages. Being bilingual is a big factor in applying for PR. One of the ways an international student can increase their score in the Comprehensive Ranking System or CRS is by improving their primary language score.
If the students did not score their highest in the language tests like IELTS or CELPIP in English, for example, they can take a re-test.
Second-language proficiency as French can increase the candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which in return will enhance the candidate’s chances of getting an ITA too.
In addition, the country started draws based on proficiency recently in French in 2024, and hence this trend is most likely to continue in 2025 and 2026 too. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency with a minimum score of 7 in each of four language abilities: reading, writing, speaking, and listening, said NCLC.
Verify All Educational Credentials
In the case of Canada, it grants points for educational credentials under its Express Entry program. In that case, if a student has more than one non-Canadian degree, they can enhance their credentials by having the organization’s verification with an organization authorized by the government of Canada, such as WES.
On the other hand, international students can also choose to pursue a qualified degree or program in Canada to increase their chances.
