Janice Lozano
International students who come to Canada for their studies may intend to return to their home country after graduating, but many also choose to remain in Canada and become landed immigrants. Canada's federal economic immigration programs and Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) offer bonus points for candidates who studied and graduated in Canada, making it an attractive option for international students to pursue permanent residence. The Express Entry system, an online immigration application, favors young candidates with Canadian work and study experience, giving international students and graduates a good chance of obtaining permanent residence. Permanent residents in Canada enjoy many of the same benefits as Canadian citizens, such as the right to live, work, and study in the country, as well as access to healthcare and social services. They are required to pay taxes at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. To become a landed immigrant, one must first have their claim approved by the Immigration and Refugee Board and then apply for permanent residence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| International students in Canada | The number rose steadily between the early 1990s and the early 2010s. Between 1990 and 1994, Canada received approximately 158,000 international students (an annual average of approximately 31,000). |
| International students as landed immigrants | International students who become landed immigrants have some advantages over other immigrants. They enter Canada at a relatively young age, have Canadian educational qualifications that are easily understood by employers, tend to be more proficient in one of the official languages, and are likely to have a better knowledge of the Canadian labour market and social networks that may facilitate job searches. |
| Permanent residence | Permanent residents have many of the same benefits as Canadian citizens, but they must pay taxes at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. Permanent residents may live outside of the country but must reside in Canada for at least two years in a five-year period. |
| Express Entry | Canada's main economic immigration system. Foreign graduates from Canadian institutes have a significant advantage in terms of ranking. In 2023, almost half of the candidates who received an ITA had completed studies in Canada. |
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What You'll Learn
- International students can become landed immigrants in Canada
- Canada's federal economic immigration programs favour young candidates
- International students in Canada have an advantage in the Express Entry pool
- Permanent residents in Canada must pay taxes at all government levels
- Canada's provinces want international students to stay and become permanent residents
International students can become landed immigrants in Canada
Canada is a popular destination for international students, with many choosing to remain in the country after graduation to gain work experience. Some even aspire to become landed immigrants and remain in Canada permanently.
To become a landed immigrant in Canada, international students can take advantage of Canada's main economic immigration system, Express Entry. This program is points-based, and candidates are placed in a pool where they accumulate points based on language skills, work experience, age, education, and whether they have a job offer. Foreign graduates from Canadian institutes have a significant advantage when it comes to ranking in the Express Entry pool, as they can claim up to 30 CRS points for studies completed in Canada. Additionally, many graduates secure skilled work in Canada, resulting in extra CRS ranking points.
Another pathway to permanent residence for international students is through Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). Canada's federal economic immigration programs and many PNPs offer bonus points for candidates who studied and graduated in Canada. When considering PNPs, international students should not only think about the province they graduated in but also the province they want to live and work in.
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Canada's federal economic immigration programs favour young candidates
International students who become landed immigrants in Canada have some advantages over other immigrants. They enter Canada at a relatively young age, and their Canadian educational qualifications are easily understood by Canadian employers. They are also more likely to be proficient in one of the official languages and have a better knowledge of the Canadian labour market and social networks that may facilitate job searches.
Canada's federal economic immigration programs include the Express Entry system, which is a points-based online application system. Candidates accumulate points based on language skills, work experience, age, education, and whether they have a job offer. The top-ranked candidates obtain priority in receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
The Express Entry system includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, which is for immigrants with the requisite education, work experience, proficiency in English and/or French, and other skills needed to establish themselves economically in Canada. The Federal Skilled Trades Class is another Express Entry-managed program for foreign workers with qualifications in a skilled trade.
Canada's Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is another important program for economic immigration. This program allows participating provinces and territories to nominate eligible economic immigration candidates for Canadian permanent residence.
Other federal economic class immigration programs include the Atlantic Immigration Program, the Caregivers Programs, the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot. The Start-up Visa Program is for those with innovative business ideas endorsed by a participating Canadian organization.
Canada's immigration goals are to strengthen the economy, reunite families, and help refugees. The federal government has set targets for permanent resident and temporary resident levels for the coming years.
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International students in Canada have an advantage in the Express Entry pool
International students in Canada have a significant advantage in the Express Entry pool, which is an online system used by the Canadian government to manage immigration applications for skilled workers seeking permanent residence. The system ranks candidates using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assigns a score out of 1200 points based on criteria such as age, education, work experience, and language skills. International students can gain additional CRS points through their Canadian educational experience, increasing their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.
In 2023, nearly half of all Express Entry invitations were extended to former international students in Canada, highlighting the advantages of studying in the country when applying for permanent residency. International students can enhance their academic and professional skills, gain valuable Canadian work experience, and seamlessly integrate into Canadian society, making them attractive candidates for permanent residency.
The Canadian government values the contributions of international students and recognizes their potential for successful integration into Canadian society. International students who become landed immigrants enter Canada at a relatively young age, possess Canadian educational qualifications that are easily understood by employers, tend to have stronger language proficiency, and have a better understanding of the Canadian labour market and social networks.
Additionally, international students can take advantage of the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program, which allows them to gain Canadian work experience. This experience enhances their resumes and increases their CRS scores, making it easier to secure permanent residency. The longer an international student studies in Canada, the better their chances of earning more and securing permanent residency through Express Entry.
To maximize their chances, international students should aim to improve their CRS scores by gaining skilled work experience, enhancing their language proficiency in English or French, and regularly updating their information in the Express Entry pool. By taking strategic steps, international students can increase their likelihood of receiving an ITA and achieving their dream of living and working in Canada.
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Permanent residents in Canada must pay taxes at all government levels
International students in Canada are considered non-permanent residents. They are identified as anyone who has ever held a study permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
Some international students may intend to return to their home country once they have acquired their Canadian qualifications. However, others may wish to remain in Canada and become landed immigrants. Landed Immigrant Status is the first step to becoming a Canadian Citizen. Those who first arrive in Canada as international students have some advantages over other immigrants, such as a better understanding of the Canadian labour market and proficiency in one of the official languages.
In Canada, permanent residents must pay taxes at all government levels: federal, provincial, and municipal. This is because income tax is based on residency in Canada, rather than citizenship. Permanent residents must pay taxes on their worldwide income, but the existing assets of new immigrants before obtaining permanent residence are not taxed.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) considers newcomers to Canada as residents for income tax purposes during their first year of residency. The CRA uses immigration and residency statuses to determine eligibility for government payments. Permanent residents can receive benefit and credit payments, such as the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit. To receive these payments, individuals must maintain their residency in Canada.
Overall, while international students in Canada are not automatically considered landed immigrants, they may become permanent residents and obtain the associated tax obligations and benefits.
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Canada's provinces want international students to stay and become permanent residents
International students in Canada are considered non-permanent residents, as they require a study permit to study there. However, international students who graduate from a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada are allowed to remain in the country after their studies and work for any employer. This experience can help them qualify for Canadian permanent residence.
There are several permanent resident categories that international students in Canada may fit into, including the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Provincial Nominee Program. The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allows each province and territory to identify immigration candidates who meet their local economic needs. For example, the province of Quebec, a popular destination for international students, operates its own immigration system with programs different from those offered by the federal government. However, similar to the rest of Canada, Quebec's immigration programs are designed to give international students advantages when applying for permanent residence.
To become a landed immigrant in Canada, the Immigration and Refugee Board must first approve your claim. Then, you must apply to become a permanent resident. Permanent residents enjoy many of the same benefits as Canadian citizens. For example, they have the right to live and work anywhere in Canada without needing a work permit first. They also receive a PR card, which serves as an important travel document, allowing them to return to Canada.
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Frequently asked questions
A landed immigrant is a person who has been admitted to Canada as a non-Canadian citizen. The term permanent residence replaced the term "landed immigrant" in 2002 with the passage of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
International students can become landed immigrants in Canada by applying for permanent residence. Canada's federal economic immigration programs and many Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) offer bonus points for candidates who studied and graduated in Canada.
Landed immigrants in Canada enjoy many of the same benefits as Canadian citizens. They have the right to work, study, and live in Canada permanently. They also have access to social benefits such as healthcare and education.
