To learn more about pathways to permanent residence in Canada, consult the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.
Pathways to Permanent Residence Through Canadian Experience Class:
A large majority of international students apply for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian Experience Class pathway. While this is in no way the only pathway to PR in Canada, it is the most common. Below is the typical pathway:
- apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (if eligible).
- obtain 1-year of skilled work experience while working on Post-Graduation Work Permit.
- apply for Permanent Residence through the Canadian Experience Class pathway.
While seeking jobs during your Post-Graduation Work Permit, you should consider the following:
- Consult the IRCC website to determine the Canadian Experience Class eligibility criteria.
- One of the main criteria is to obtain one year of full-time skilled work experience. Simply, skilled work can be defined as employment which requires some level of post-secondary education to perform.
- IRCC uses the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) to categorize jobs by their duties and responsibilities. Positions which fall under TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 job categories are deemed "skilled".
- You can use the NOC when searching for jobs to see if a specific job qualifies as "skilled work". Do note, you do not need to work in your field of study for the work to qualify as skilled.
- Keep in mind: if your work permit is 3-years in length, you have time to work up to skilled work experience.
- You may want to consider speaking with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (or other Authorized Representative) for support in determining your PR pathway eligibility or to support with your application.
Authorized Representatives
Our Trent International Student Immigration Advisors are legally permitted to provide advice as it relates to study permits, temporary resident visas and programs relating to students (such as the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program). Permanent Residence and Citizenship are out of their legal scope of practice.
Students who wish to obtain professional immigration support are encouraged to seek the services of an Authorized Representative with expertise in Canadian Immigration Law. For example: a lawyer that is licensed to practice law by a provincial/territorial law society in Canada (and has specific expertise with immigration law) or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC).
Disclaimer
The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.