Canada is among the most student and immigrant-friendly nation in the world and offers various options to establish a permanent base in the country for students and skilled professionals.

There are more than 350,000 international students that enrol yearly in Canada across study programs. In addition to world-class educational opportunities, Canada also offers students and graduates the chance to build a career and settle permanently in the country.

Learning, earning and staying in Canada are the three pillars of successful immigration to the country for students. It opens up the path for an accelerated process of getting permanent residency in Canada.

This policy, combined with low tuition fees and high student satisfaction index, leads to a rapid increase in student enrollment numbers every year.

Learning in Canada

Potential destinations for international students like the United States, France, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia are losing out to Canada, which has become a place of choice among students for learning avenues. This is, in part, thanks to a robust policy that incentivises the completion of all three pillars of Canadian immigration.

The following is the list of advantages that the country offers:

• For international students, a work permit of 20 hours per week during semester and for full-time basis while on school breaks.
• Low tuition fees and charges
• Spouses or partners can accompany an international student and along with that, can also obtain a work permit to work for any employer without any time restrictions.
• Children of students can study at any Canadian elementary school without any study permit.
• Graduates completing their studies in Canada are offered pathways to permanent residency on an active basis.

Phew! Now doesn’t that sound pretty good? Yes, it does and it is! In order to actually avail these benefits, you need to learn how to immigrate to Canada with a regular student visa. You can look at these steps:

Find an Appropriate Program of Study and University

There are plenty of options to select from. After getting some idea about your choices and preferences, you can select the location and institution of study. Databases from Colleges and Institutes Canada as well as advice from Maclean’s Magazine can be sought for choosing the perfect college for your needs and aspirations.

After finding the right choice, you need to make sure the institute you have chosen is a Designated Learning Institute (DLI). As international students in Canada need study permits, all study permits need a letter of acceptance by a DLI.

The list of DLI keeps on changing and is defined as a university/college approved to host international students by provincial governments.

Getting and Admission to the Study Program

The next focus must be on getting an admission to your chosen university. Applicants must look at deadlines for application, requirements of specific language and other needs for university entrance in Canada, as part of the process of Canadian immigration with a student visa.

The precursor to a full study permit is the letter of acceptance. This document is issued at the DLI and its quite crucial to move further in the process. Potential students may not get a study permit in the absence of this document.

After getting a letter of acceptance, you are issued a study permit, issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You can now study in Canada in the timeframe mentioned in your study program.

Earning in Canada

The economy of Canada is in a growth phase and is quite diverse. Any student who wishes to be its part can do so with ease. As shown before, overseas students can take part in the Canadian workforce before their graduation. This helps to gain a source of income, get valuable Canadian experience and interact professionally with people.

However, the best opportunity to work and earn in Canada comes in the post-graduation permit for work. This is a permit that allows graduates to work in Canada for any employer, up to 3 years, showing up a unique chance for immigrating to Canada.

Staying in Canada

According to the Canadian government, international graduates and students are the best fit for multi-year immigration plans offered by Canada due to their attachment to Canada, knowledge and for using the country’s official language as their own.

There are various systems of immigration services that work to the advantage of international graduates and students. These include:

Express Entry System

This is the most used system of economic immigration to Canada with the selection of permanent residents being done on a priority basis. The various ways of entering the candidate list are:

Canadian Experience Class (CEC): This serves as an immigration program that works on a fast-track basis for people with Canadian work experience in a skilled job, with graduates being the targeted individuals.

Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC): This program gives preference to young people who have language skills and therefore, gives most graduates and students an advantage.

Immigration to Quebec

Provinces like Quebec have their distinct gateways to permanent residency. This includes:

Quebec Experience Program: The unique Quebec Experience Program offers international students an opportunity to start their immigration proceedings before the end of their study period. This privilege is not given at the federal level or in other provinces.

Provincial Nominee Programs

Canadian provinces have the power to nominate permanent residents through their Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The requirements for eligibility set forth by provinces for the program is more inclined to students and those who choose to study in Canada. This is due to their experience of living among local people as well as good language skills.

Ontario and British Columbia are the most popular among students for participating in this program to get permanent residency. This program is also helpful for students who do not qualify for getting permanent resident status through the Express Entry program draws.

Canada offers one of the most liberal student immigration and visa programs with a subsequent guarantee of permanent residency to all international students. With these student-friendly policies, the country has become a hub of higher education aspirants from all over the world.