More International Students Benefiting From Permanent Residency in Canada

The number of international students choosing to pursue higher studies in Canada has increased over the years, with three in ten international students who entered Canada after 2000 remaining in the country and transitioning to permanent residency within ten years since they received their first study permits, a report by Statistics Canada reveals.

According to the report, half of the students in master’s degree and six in ten doctoral students transitioned to permanent residency during the same period of time, Erudera.com reports.

The number of study permit holders went up from 122,700 to 642,500 between the years 2000 and 2019, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) pointed out.

More interest has been observed among international graduates who enrolled in a non-university post-secondary education. The number of these students who enrolled at a Canadian university for the first time between 2010 and 2014 and became permanent residents, has more than doubled compared to numbers recorded between 2000 and 2004.

46 percent of students from India who received their study permits between 2010 and 2014 became permanent residents within five years. The second ranks Nigeria with 30 percent and Vietnam with 21 percent of students received the permanent resident status.

Data further show that 60 percent of international students who worked during their studies or after graduation, as well as those who received higher salaries, became permanent residents in the country. 

87 percent of students who got their first study permit in the period of 2005-2009 and earned $50,000 or more annually, became permanent residents, while only 46 percent of those earning below $20,000 in a year decided to become permanent residents.

International students in Canada might also apply for a Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which allows students who have graduated from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) to work in Canada. Under this, graduates might benefit from permanent residency in the country.

Moreover, international students who have worked in Canada for at least one year and can prove their English or French knowledge would also be able to receive permanent resident status under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Whereas, those international student graduates who have gained international work experience could apply for permanent resident status immediately after graduation and don’t need to take the PGWP route.

According to the report, Canada sees international students as a good source for its labor market due to relatively young age, English or French proficiency, Canadian educational qualifications, as well as their work experience in Canada.