For an ambitious youngster, a foreign degree is rarely an isolated decision just about the degree. Often, it is the first step towards the goal of a getting a job and becoming a permanent resident of the same country.

This means the study destination you choose must not only offer quality education but must also be an immigrant-friendly destination with good career prospects and an easy route to permanent residence.  

The growing importance of Community Immigration pilot programs is becoming another good reason for foreign students to choose Canada as their study destination.

Rising Profile of Community Immigration Pilot Programs

Canada has announced its 2020 to 2022 immigration plan detailing targets for various immigration categories including economic immigration for skilled workers.

The government has targeted an increase of 82 percent in the number of immigrants granted permanent residence through community immigration pilot programs like Rural and Northern immigration pilot, the highest increase among all immigration categories.

The reasons behind growing importance of such pilot programs include-

• Realization that centralized federal programs don’t really help communities, especially in rural areas, to find the immigrant talent they need.
• Overcrowding of skilled workers in a few urban centers, which leads to a lose-lose situation for the immigrants, local administration, and the economy as a whole.
• The success of the Atlantic Immigration pilot program, which was an employer-driven program offering a quick and easy route to Canadian permanent residence.

Choosing your Study Destination—Keep Community Immigration in Mind

Keep the following factors in mind to take advantage of community immigration programs when choosing a study destination within Canada.

These programs focus on attracting skilled workers who have the intent to live and settle in the community. So, the province or region you choose should offer good study as well as career opportunities and prospects.

This requires careful understanding of the economic, social, and demographic setup of various provinces and communities across the country, which is why working with a professional immigration consultant can help a lot.

Such pilot programs invariably exempt international graduates from the province/community from work experience requirements. So, you can look forward to direct permanent residence by fulfilling the most important eligibility condition.

That’s having a valid job offer, which fulfills relevant NOC requirements, from an eligible employer located in the community or province. This is the key requirement that will determine whether you can apply for PR through the community pilot program or not.

Not being an international graduate from the community is not a very big drawback. You will have to then possess work experience, Canadian or foreign, to become eligible to apply.

Other general requirements include language proficiency—the AIPP required CLB 4 as compared to CLB 7 under the FSWP, and adequate financial resources to support self and family in the community.

So, a student can start preparations in advance, obtain internships from employers in the community, build his/her professional network, and qualify for direct PR by bagging a valid job offer from an eligible employer immediately after graduation.

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