There are many opportunities for students to work and live in Canada and to remain in Canada on a permanent basis after graduation if they wish to call Canada home. International students who graduate from eligible programs of study can remain in Canada to work, which allows them to qualify for immigration based on the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Canada’s provinces and territories also have Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), which allow for students who obtain an offer of employment from a Canadian employer to apply for permanent residence through their Provincial Nominee categories. In many of these programs, previous work experience is not necessary to obtain permanent residence status, as long as they obtain a permanent job offer after graduation. Initially these programs were only open to students who obtained their education in a specific province however now; many provinces are accepting student PNP applicants from across Canada..

Graduate students also have opportunities to become permanent residents through both federal and provincial PNP programs. For many Masters and PhD students, they can apply for permanent residence without the need for a job offer from an employer.

Since June 1, 2014, a student who is attending full-time studies at one of our public Universities or Colleges or recognized private institutions, is able to work without a work permit for up to 20 hours per week while pursuing their studies on a fulltime basis.

After graduating, students are also eligible to receive a post-graduate work permit from between one to three years, depending on their length of study in Canada. This work experience often allows them to qualify for permanent residence under the CEC class or will often lead to a permanent offer of employment from an employer so that they can meet the criteria of the PNP program.