Immigration Opportunities

Now that you’ve had a taste of life in Canada you may want to consider making it your home. As an international college graduate with in-demand skills, Canadian credentials and work experience, you’re in a strong position to apply for immigration.

Did you know that immigrants form a huge part of the population in Canada? In 2011, Canada had a foreign-born population of 6,775,800. They represented over 20% of the total population.

Canada is accepting more and more international students and government data shows that more of those students are choosing to immigrate to Canada.

As an international graduate, you can apply for permanent residency without having to leave Canada. For more information on your immigration options, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. You can also take this short questionnaire to find out if you are eligible to apply for immigration and which stream is best for you.

Below are two of the most common immigration streams for international graduates.

Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class  (CEC) program allows international students who have graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution to apply to stay permanently in Canada.

In order to qualify, you must:

• Be familiar with Canadian society
• Have strong English or French skills
• Have relevant work experience
• Be able to contribute to the Canadian economy

As a college graduate, you may be in a good position to qualify under the CEC program.

Provincial Nominee Program

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) program allows international students who have graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution to be nominated by a Canadian province or territory to become permanent residents of Canada.

In order to qualify, you must:

• Intend to live in the province or territory where you were nominated
• Apply directly to the province or territory to complete the provincial nomination process
• Complete a separate application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for permanent residence
• Pass a medical examination
• Pass security and criminal checks

Again, as a college graduate you are well positioned to qualify under the PNP program.