What’s the easiest way to immigrate to Canada? Which is the simplest Canada immigration option for a skilled worker? With so many programs and streams to choose from, which Canada immigration strategy should you choose?

Well, the right Canada immigration plan for you will depend on your qualifications, work experience, and career preferences. But, generally speaking, the easiest way to get a work permit or get direct permanent residence in Canada is by studying in Canada.

Why Study? Because Canada Wants International Graduates

One reason why the study-work-immigrate route works very well in Canada is that there are numerous federal and provincial immigration programs created specifically for international graduates.

The Post Graduation Work Permit is the best example of such a program. Graduate from an eligible educational institution and you qualify for a LMIA-exempt open work permit with a maximum validity of three years.

Multiple immigration options—from Express Entry’s FSWP and CEC to various PNP streams for international graduates as well as for skilled workers—will open up by the end of the third year of the PGWP.

But you cannot have the PGWP as your sole option, which means you need to focus on ways to boost your immigration prospects after graduating from your study program.

Also Read

• 4 Reasons Why Canada is a More Student-Friendly Destination Than The US
• New PGWP Rule’s Real Message—Canada’s Obsessed with Retaining International Students as Immigrants

Student Work Experience Matters

The Express Entry- FSWP option is open only to those who have at least one year of full-time work experience. Unlike the CEC, the FSWP does not exclude work experience obtained when studying.

This means doing on-campus or off-campus work that does not require you to apply for a separate work permit can help you gain some very valuable work experience.

If you work full-time during the holidays, then you can easily get the required work experience to qualify under the FSWP. This will put you in a position where securing a job offer can help you easily qualify for an ITA in the Express Entry rounds.  

Internships for Work Experience and Potential Job Offers

As an international student, you should focus on checking out as many internship opportunities as possible. You can even consider unpaid options if it increases your chances of getting a job offer by the time you graduate.

You can use the PGWP to work for one year after graduating and become eligible for the FSWP as well as the CEC. Of course, PNP streams too remain open.

Cracking Canada’s job market can seem very tough. The smart option is to start early and impress potential employers through internship opportunities.   

Learn French

This is important even for those who are just considering the idea of studying in Canada. Boosting Francophone immigration outside Quebec is a very big part of the country’s immigration strategy.

This means you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by adding French to your resume. Ontario has a French-speaking skilled worker stream that can help you qualify for provincial nomination based on your French proficiency combined with a Master’s degree even if you don’t have a job offer in hand.

Of course, good French proficiency will help you boost your CRS score and give you an advantage over others who just have good English test scores in their hand.

Three out of the six new temporary streams that the government announced in May 2021 were restricted to French-speaking applicants. Further, these streams did not have fixed cap and are expected to remain open until November 2021.

Keep Entrepreneurship Options Open as Well

There’s the Federal Startup visa that is open to anybody who can secure startup funding from designated agencies. Then, different provinces have entrepreneur and business immigration streams open to anybody who fulfills the minimum investment requirement.

Finally, provinces have international graduate entrepreneur streams that allow you to leverage your Canadian degree to setup and run a business in Canada. These business immigration options too should form a part of your overall immigration planning

There was a time when immigration planning began only after one had completed their foreign studies. Today, you need to considering your immigration options even as you explore your foreign study options.

The smartest option would be work with an experienced immigration professional who can help you find the best college in Canada for your study program along with specific guidance on how you can realize your dream of working, settling, and living in Canada.