This document provides an overview of immigration options for international students graduating from Canadian institutions to remain in Canada. The main options discussed are: 1) Post-Graduate Work Permits that allow graduates to work for a period equal to their length of study; 2) Provincial Nominee Programs that nominate applicants for permanent residence; and 3) the Canadian Experience Class for those with one year of skilled work experience. The document also reviews recent changes to rules for study permits, post-study work eligibility, and citizenship requirements.

1. Immigration and Canada – Your
Options
Damien Barry
James Snow
Gary Corsano
Jessica Drohan

2. “I want to stay in Canada after I
graduate. What are my
options?”

3. Quebec-selected skilled workers
Canadian Experience Class
Investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed
Family sponsorship
Provincial nominees
Live-in caregivers
Refugees

4. Option 1:Post – Graduate Work Permit
•Open work permit
•Length of study = length of permit
•Study 2 years or longer = 3 year
permit
•Written confirmation from CBU
•Apply within 90 days of confirmation

5. Option 1:Post – Graduate Work Permit
•Must hold a valid study permit
•One post – grad permit only
•Not applicable to distance or
certain scholarship programs

6. Option 1:Post – Graduate Work Permit
•Permanent Residence?
•Provincial Nominee
•Masters or PhD – Ontario, BC and
Saskatchewan
•Canadian Experience Class

7. Option 2:Provincial Nominee Program
•Skilled Worker
•Community Identified Please note: the
Community Identified Stream will be
permanently closed to new applications as of
March 6, 2014. The Community Identified
stream is being replaced with the new Regional
Labour Market Demand stream.
Family Business Worker

8. Option 2: Provincial Nominee Program
•Regional Labour Market Demand Stream
The new Regional Labour Market Demand stream is aimed at
selecting individuals who meet the labour market needs, are
destined to join the labour market with a full-time and permanent
position, and wish to live in the Province of Nova Scotia
permanently.
Applicants are not required to have a permanent, full-time job
offer from a Nova Scotia employer at the time of submitting their
application; however, they must intend to pursue employment in
an occupation that is in demand in the Province.

9. Option 2 - Nova Scotia Provincial
Nominee Program
•Entrepreneurial stream – 2014
•2013 – quota of 600 + 20 + 3
•Processing time – 3 months
•Skilled Worker – 289
•International Grads – 169
•Family Business – 10
•Community Identified - 151

10. Option 2 - Nova Scotia Provincial
Nominee Program
•Main Nationalities: UK, Philippines,
Japan, China, USA, Egypt, Iran, Israel,
Germany, India
•What holds up files? – Education
credentials and language
•Mandatory 3rd party testing for higher
skilled positions?

11. Option 2 - Nova Scotia Provincial
Nominee Program
Expression of Interest
•January 2015 – 3 to 6 months instead of 17
months
•Identify skills, education etc. on central
application form. Will be matched up with
Federal or Provincial programs and will be
invited to apply – fast track
•Do not formally apply for a particular
immigration stream.

12. Option 3 – Canadian Experience Class
One year of full-time experience (or the
equivalent in part-time work) as a skilled
worker in Canada. Full-time work means
at least 30 hours per week. The one-year
work experience must have been obtained
within the three years preceding the date
your CEC application is received.

13. Option 3 – Canadian Experience Class
Work experience you may have
acquired as part of your academic
program, such as an internship or a
co-op placement, does not qualify
under the CEC. Part-time work you
may have performed during your
studies does not qualify either.

14. Option 3 – Canadian Experience Class
National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Skill Type 0
This includes senior management occupations, middle and other
management positions.
Skill Level A
Occupations at this level usually require university education at
the bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate level.
Skill Level B
Occupations at this level usually require education obtained at a
college or vocational institute, apprenticeship training or three to
four years of secondary school followed by more than two years of
on-the-job training, specialized training courses or specific work
experience.

15. Option 3 – Canadian Experience Class
Language requirements
To qualify for the CEC you must prove your proficiency in English or
French. This includes speaking, reading, listening and writing in
one or both official languages.
The expected level of ability in English or French will vary
according to your occupation. For example, the language
requirements for managerial and professional positions are higher
than the requirements for applicants who have been working in a
technical occupation or in a skilled trade.
To prove your language skills, you will need to take a language test
given by an agency that is approved by CIC and include the results
with your application.

16. Canadian Experience Class
From November 9, 2013 to October 31, 2014, CIC will accept a maximum of 12,000 new,
complete applications under the Canadian Experience Class.
As of November 9, 2013, work experience in the following National Occupation
Classification (NOC) B occupations (listed with the corresponding NOC code) will not be
accepted in the CEC:
Cooks (NOC 6322)
Food service supervisors (NOC 6311)
Administrative officers (NOC 1221)
Administrative assistants (NOC 1241)
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 1311)
Retail sales supervisors (NOC 6211)
For all other NOC B occupations, up to 200 applications per occupation we will accepted.
Once the cap is reached CIC will no longer accept applications for that occupation. Once CIC
receives 12,000 complete CEC applications, they will no longer accept any application for
processing, even if there are occupational caps that have not been filled.

17. Having a Child in Canada
•If you or your partner do not have status in
Canada, child cannot sponsor you until
he/she is 19
•Humanitarian and compassionate grounds
•Interests of the child in remaining in
Canada

18. Recent Changes

19. A number of new regulations for
study permits and other
international student programs
were announced on February
12, 2014. These regulations will
come into force on June 1, 2014.

20. Current
Applicants must show that they intend to
pursue studies in Canada when applying
for a study permit.
New Regulations as of June 1
Applicants must enrol in and continue to
pursue studies in Canada. Failure to do
so could lead to removal from Canada.

21. Current
Applicants may apply for a study permit to
pursue studies at any educational institution
in Canada.
New Regulations as of June 1
Study permits will only be issued to successful
applicants who are pursuing studies at an
educational institution that has been
designated to receive international students.

22. Current
Study permit holders pursuing studies at publicly-funded and
certain privately-funded post-secondary institutions must
apply for an Off-Campus Work Permit to be able to work up to
20 hours per week off-campus during the academic session
and full-time during scheduled breaks.
New Regulations as of June 1
Study permits will automatically authorize the holder to work
off-campus for up to 20 hours per week during the academic
session and full-time during scheduled breaks without the
need to apply for a separate work permit. The study permit
holder must be pursuing academic, vocational or professional
training of six months or more that leads to a degree, diploma
or certificate at a designated institution.

23. Current
Any international student can apply for a CoOp Work Permit if a co-op placement is an
integral element of their course of study.
New Regulations as of June 1
Only international students who are pursuing
studies at a secondary school or at a
designated institution may apply for a Co-Op
Work Permit if a co-op placement is an
integral part of their course of study.

24. Current
Visitors may not apply for a study permit from
within Canada
New Regulations as of June 1
Visitors may apply for a study permit from within
Canada if they are at the pre-school, primary or
secondary level, are on an academic exchange or
a visiting student at a designated learning
institution, or have completed a course or
program of study that is a condition for
acceptance at a designated learning institution.

25. Current
International students who have completed their
studies but hold valid study permits can remain
legally in Canada until the expiration of their
study permit.
New Regulations as of June 1
A study permit becomes invalid 90 days following
the completion of studies unless the foreign
national also possesses a valid work permit or
another authorization to remain in Canada.

26. Current
Study permit holders are not authorized to work
after the completion of their studies while
awaiting approval of their Post-Graduation Work
Permit
New Regulations as of June 1
Eligible international graduates will be authorized
to work full-time after their studies are
completed until a decision is made on their
application for a Post-Graduate Work Permit.

27. Citizenship – Proposed Changes
Under current laws, for individuals like international students,
foreign workers or live-in caregivers, every day spent in Canada
as a non-permanent resident counts as a half day of residence
needed for their citizenship application, up to a maximum of
two years.
In addition to taking away that provision, the government is
simultaneously increasing residency requirements for
citizenship from three out of four years to four out of six years.

28. Criminality
•Committing a serious crime that would be punishable by a
maximum prison term of at least 10 years in Canada
•Having been convicted of a crime, including driving while
under the influence of drugs or alcohol
•Organized crime, including membership in an organization
that takes part in organized criminal activity, people smuggling
or money laundering
•Health grounds – if their condition is likely to:
endanger public health or public safety, or
cause excessive demands on health or social services (some exceptions
exist )

29. Criminality
•Financial reasons – if they are unable or unwilling
to support themselves and their family members
•Misrepresentation, which includes providing false
information or withholding information directly
related to decisions made under the Immigration
and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)
•Failure to comply with any provision of IRPA
•Having an inadmissible family member.

30. Processing times
•Study Permits
•Temporary Residence
•Dependent Children
•Study Permit Reg
•Egypt
•China
•Saudi Arabia

31. Questions?