Study pathways to PR

Study in Canada – A pathway to Permanent Residence

  • Studying in Canada is the new way for permanent residence for Students.
  • Ambitious youngsters from emerging countries like India or Vietnam, China… can explore another pathway to Canadian permanent residence—a study permit in Canada.
  • International students who are married or have kids may wish to bring their family with them. Canadian visa officers will consider study permit applications which include accompanying family members. You should note that including family members on a study permit application may influence the visa officer’s decision. If you are approved as a family, your spouse will be able to work full time while in Canada. Any accompanying children will be able to study for free.

Study Permit Application

Most international students require a study permit. You do not need a study permit if your program in Canada is for six months or less. In addition, minor children and other individuals may be exempt from requiring a Canadian study permit

In order to be eligible to submit an application for a Canadian study permit, a prospective student must:

  • Obtain a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution in order to submit an application for a study permit
  • Prove that he or she has sufficient financial support to cover the first year of tuition, as well as living expenses and return transportation to his or her home country
  • Obtain a Certificat d’acceptation du Quebec (Quebec Acceptance Certificate, or CAQ) if he or she wishes to study in Montreal or elsewhere in the Province of Quebec
  • Have clean record. Applicants with a criminal background, or who pose a risk to Canadian security, may be refused. IRCC may request an applicant to supply a police clearance certificate
  • Be in good health. IRCC may request an applicant to complete a medical examination; and,
  • Satisfy the immigration officer that he or she will leave Canada at the end of the stay authorized by the study permit

The applicant may also be required to submit the following supporting documents:

  • Passport for the applicant and every family member included on the application;
  • Two passport photos for the applicant and each family member included on the application, with the full name and date of birth written on the back;
  • Photocopy of marriage certificate, if applicable; and,
  • Any further documents required by specific visa offices.

Study Permit: a Fast-Track option (SDS)

Canada provides expedited Study Permit processing for international students from key Asian markets via the Student Direct Stream. The SDS (Student Direct Stream) program which currently serves residents of 14 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam.

Citizens of one of the countries listed above cannot be residing in another country at the time of applying for a study permit through the SDS program.

Canada aims to process all study permit applications eligible for SDS processing in 20 calendar days.

To submit an application for a Canadian study permit through the SDS program, prospective student applicants must:

  • Prove that he or she has sufficient financial support to cover the first year of tuition, as well as living expenses and return transportation to his or her home country
  • Have a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) with a participating Canadian bank of $10,000 CAD
  • Have clean record. Applicants with a criminal background, or who pose a risk to Canadian security, may be refused. IRCC may request an applicant to supply a police clearance certificate
  • Qualifying score of at least 6 for English (IELTS), or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens score of 7 for French (TEF), or graduation from a Canadian-curriculum high school.
  • Be in good health. IRCC may request an applicant to complete a medical examination; and,
  • Satisfy the immigration officer that he or she will leave Canada at the end of the stay authorized by the study permit

 

Study permit Renewal

 

You need to extend your study permit. To extend your study permit, you need to know:

When to apply

  • Apply for a study permit extension at least 30 days before your study permit expires, if you want to keep studying in Canada.

How to apply

  • Including what you need to apply online, instruction guide and how to apply online.

What to do if your permit expired

If your study permit expires and you want to stay in Canada and study, you’ll need to apply

  • for a new study permit
  • to restore your status as a temporary resident

If you want to stay in Canada but you’re no longer studying

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

  • The post-graduation work permit allows students who have graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution to gain valuable Canadian work experience.
  • PGWPs are valid for between eight months to three years and are a great way to obtain valuable Canadian work experience.
  • Note: Work obtained through the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program may help support your application to become a permanent resident of Canada.

Eligibilities:

  • You completed a full-time post-secondary program in Canada;
  • your program qualifies for a PGWP;
  • you completed your studies in less than 90 days before applying for a PGWP;
  • your school is a designated learning institution;
  • you are at least 18 years old;
  • the length of your program was at least eight months; and
  • your study permit was valid when you applied for the PGWP.

How to apply

You can apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) from inside Canada or from another country, as long as you’re eligible.

You have up to 180 days after you graduate to apply for a PGWP.

When you apply, you must confirm the following:

  • that you attended and completed your program
  • the name of your program and
  • the length of your program

You can confirm these by submitting any of the following:

  • your degree or diploma
  • your transcript or
  • an official letter from your school

If your study permit will expire before you get your marks, you have 2 options. You can

 

Express Entry

International students with at least one year of Canadian work experience may find the CEC as a suitable option to pursue PR. If you already have at least one year of professional work experience from overseas, you may also wish to consider the FSWP as an option.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is another popular PR pathway for international students. Nearly every province and territory in Canada operates the PNP. The PNP is available to skilled workers who want to obtain permanent residence in a particular province or territory. Many PNP streams reward candidates who have studied and worked in Canada. There are also streams that specifically cater to international students.

 

Post-Graduation Work Permits

Once the international student graduates, a Post-Graduation Work Permit may be obtained.

In some cases, spouses or common-law partners of international students studying full-time may be eligible for an open work permit. Visit our dedicated page for information on the advantages of an open work permit.