Around 125,000 temporary residents in Canada transitioned to permanent residents in 2022, and among them are approximately 50,000 international students with Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP).
New data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that Canada welcomed approximately 552,000 new international students last year. There are now roughly 800,000 international students in the country at the end of 2022. The number of international students issued with study permits has steadily and noticeably increased in the last decade.
With the number of international students entering the country, you are probably wondering why international students have chosen to study in Canada.
Why Is Canada the Top Choice for International Students?
Being the top destination for International Students is not without reason. What makes Canada so alluring to international students are due to these reasons – Quality of education, affordability, work opportunities, and finally, immigration opportunities.
Quality and Affordable Education
Canada’s education system is known for being excellent and they have maintained their standard of education in recent decades. Most of the country’s reputable institutions have continuously ranked among the top schools all over the globe as they have top-notch programs and faculties.
Now, it’s normal that you would expect to study in a country with a prestigious education system would have an upscaled cost. On the contrary, studying in the country is surprisingly affordable considering the costs that other first-world countries would require students to outlay. This factor is crucial to every international student.
Due to these factors alone, International Students decided to study in Canada. However, the most appealing reasons students would choose Canada are the opportunities the country offers, particularly the opportunity to work and immigrate to Canada.
Opportunities to Work and Immigrate through the PGWP Program
International students have the opportunity to find work and immerse themselves in Canada’s workforce through the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program. PGWP is an open work permit that allows graduates of a school that is among the eligible Canadian Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) to work for any Canadian employer.
Canada offers PGWP to attract international students and eventually keep them as new immigrants with permanent residency. But the PGWP is valid only for up to three years, in addition to that, the actual length of the PGWP of every graduate varies, depending on the length of their chosen educational program.
This enables graduates to gain professional work experience in the country, which is advantageous in the application for permanent residency. Moreover, PGWP is now a common choice for international students since it allows graduates to earn a living in Canada while waiting for their permanent residency application.
How Is PGWP Helping International Students in Obtaining a Permanent Residency?
According to statistics published by IRCC, 6 in 10 study permit holders who worked during and after their studies became permanent residents in Canada. Of international students who utilized PGWP, 62% of them became landed immigrants within 10 years after they obtained their first study permit, which is a higher percentage than that of international students who landed PR through a different program.
In connection with that, International students that applied for PGWP have transitioned to becoming temporary residents and started having higher earnings, and they have consequently become permanent residents. Such findings show an apparent positive connection between the level of annual earnings of immigrants while waiting to transition to permanent resident status.
This suggests that those with a higher level of occupational skills and those who are paid higher are more likely to become permanent residents in Canada.
In a nutshell, PGWP is crucial to international students in obtaining a PR status, since it allows international students to acquire a higher level of occupation skills after their studies.
Pursue a Canadian Education and Become a PR
Canada is among the few first-world countries that offer international students multiple options to immigrate to their country. Canada has even provided pathways for immigrants to have a better chance of becoming a PR.
Considering all that, pursuing further studies in Canada is one of the best ways to increase the immigrant’s eligibility for PR, as it allows them to conveniently obtain a PGWP that will aid them in their application for an immigration program in the country.
Moreover, having a Canadian education will substantially assist immigrants in advancing in their careers and will help them find high-paying jobs in the country.
If you want to learn more about the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program, you can always schedule an online appointment with us. Fill out our easy online application form or contact us at +63 917 555 9027.
