Why has Canada suddenly become the preferred destination for foreign students? Canada was always among the top study destinations, but it always seemed to rank below countries like the USA and Australia. So, what has changed?

The answer—post-graduation opportunities for international graduates.

Today, anybody studying in Canada can easily have complete clarity on the various study-work-settle options after graduation.

Continue Studying in Canada?

Want to get an advanced degree from Canada after completing your undergraduate course? Your Canada study permit is valid for 90 days after the end of your study program. This three-month extension is built into the study permit’s validity to help you extend your study permit if you want to study further in the country.

Work Permit Options

Most international graduates prefer moving on from Canada study experience to Canada work experience after graduation. This is where the Post-Graduation Work Permit sets Canada apart from the rest of the world.

The PGWP is an open non-LMIA work permit that is available only to foreign students graduating from an eligible course from a Designated Learning Institution in Canada.

This work permit offers a clear, transparent, and easy route for the international graduate to move from studying to working in Canada after graduation.

If you, for some reason, don’t want to or are unable to apply for the PGWP, then Mobilité Francophone is another LMIA-exempt work permit that you can opt for based on your strong proficiency in French.

If none of these options work for you, then there is the LMIA-mandatory work permit under the TFWP. If you are a tech worker, then you can qualify for a work permit in just two weeks under the Global Talent Stream.

Also Read

• • Study in Canada—4-Step Guide for the Young International Student
  • Best Country for Foreign Students—450,000 International Students in Canada in 2021
  • No Room for Complacency—A Million Job Vacancies Doesn’t Mean Canada Immigration is Easy for International Graduates

PR Options

Unlike other countries, international graduates can directly become permanent residents of Canada after graduation.

You just need to graduate from a province that has an International Graduate Stream in its Provincial Nomination Program. These streams can help you get nominated for permanent residence with zero work experience as long as you have a full-time job offer from an eligible employer in the province.

If you want to become a permanent resident through Express Entry, then you can use the PGWP route to gain Canadian work experience and qualify through the Canada Experience Class program.

Of course, one year of work experience will make you eligible to apply through the Federal Skilled Worker Program too.

Entrepreneur Options

And what if you don’t want to work in a job in Canada? The Federal Startup Visa program is open to anybody who has an innovative start-up idea that’s good enough to win funding from Designated Organizations in Canada.

At the provincial level, multiple provinces have streams for International Graduate Entrepreneurs open only to those graduating from the province.

With minimal investment and net worth requirements, you can setup a business in the province, work on a work permit for your own business as its employee, and then get nominated for permanent residence after fulfilling the terms of your Business Performance Agreement.

Canada’s USP—All Options on the Table

The best thing about studying in Canada is that you will have total clarity about all these options even before you apply for the study permit. Canada has a merit-centric immigration system where the eligibility requirements of various work permit and immigration programs are clearly specified.

If you are eligible for the PGWP, then you can continue to live and work in Canada for up to three years after graduating. This is not dependent on which party is in power in Canada or at the discretion of the Immigration Officer. Similarly, if your score is high enough to qualify for an Invitation to Apply in a federal or provincial draw, then you are in. That’s it!

A foreign degree is a costly investment. and a foreign job is the easiest way for students to get good returns on the money spent on the foreign degree. As on date, there’s no better destination than Canada that ticks all the boxes.

From top-quality education at affordable fees to plethora of career options with minimal immigration or work permit hassles, studying in Canada is a sure shot route to professional success for foreign students.