Are you a master's student in British Columbia or Ontario? Are planning on staying in Canada after your studies? Perhaps you're considering getting your master's degree in Canada and want to know what options you have after you graduate. If so, this post is for you!
Both Ontario and British Columbia offer specific PNP pathways for master’s graduates.
If this interests you, read on to find out if you meet the requirements!
British Columbia
If you have graduated in the last 3 years from a B.C post-secondary institution with a master's or doctorate in the natural, applied, or health sciences, you may qualify for the International Post-Graduate Stream. At least 50% of your studies must have been completed in Canada. Distance education programs, whether abroad or within Canada, are not eligible.
In order to be eligible for this program, you do not need a job offer from an employer but you must meet the general BC PNP requirements:
Intention to live in BC: You must demonstrate that you have the intent to live, work and economically establish in B.C.
Economic Benefit to BC: You must provide economic benefit to BC. For example, your employment will maintain/create jobs for Canadians, transfer knowledge and skills to Canadians, support the development of proprietary new products, or build the workforce for a major project.
Immigration Status in Canada: the BC PNP will NOT nominate you if you are in Canada and out of status, your status has expired and you cannot demonstrate that you have applied for restoration of status within the 90-day eligibility period, you are working in Canada without authorization, have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada, or are under a removal order in or outside of Canada.
If you meet those requirements, then congratulations! You move on to the NEXT round of requirements. The requirements for the International Post-Graduate Stream are as follows:
1. You must have earned a master's or doctoral degree from an eligible program at a British Columbia post-secondary institution. Your graduate degree (master's or doctorate) must be in a natural, applied, or health sciences program:
agriculture, agriculture operations, and related sciences
biological and biomedical sciences
computer and information sciences and support services
engineering
engineering technology and engineering-related fields
health professions and related programs
mathematics and statistics
natural resources conservation
physical sciences
As evidence that you meet this requirement, you must submit:
• a copy of your official transcript showing the date you completed all degree requirements,
or
• a copy of your degree. In some cases, the BC PNP may request a copy of your transcripts and a copy of your degree to confirm that you meet this criterion.
2. You must demonstrate that you have the ability and intent to live, work and economically establish in B.C. Evidence of this may include:
The length of any previous and/or current period of residence in B.C
Your connections to B.C. through work, study, or family
A description of any actions you’ve taken to permanently settle in B.C., such as finding a job or place to live
Current employment in B.C
Employment search details (prospective employers, applications, networking efforts, business development, etc.)
Community involvement
Ability to financially support yourself and your dependents (if any) in B.C.
Your plan to obtain or maintain legal authorization to work in B.C.
If you meet all eligibility requirements, you can begin the application process by creating a profile through BCPNP Online.
Stop Scrolling!
If you are considering studying in Canada, we can help you start the process with our "Study Permit" consultation. This consultation is an opportunity to discuss your Canadian study plans with an expert. Studying in Canada is a huge investment and you want to ensure that you are starting with a good foundation to ensure maximum return on your investment.
Ontario
The Master's Graduate stream gives international graduates with an Ontario master's degree the opportunity to apply to permanently live and work in Ontario. If you wish to be nominated by the Ontario government for permanent residence, you must first register with the OINP's Expression of Interest system and receive an invitation to apply. The application must be submitted within two years of completing the master's degree requirements.
In order to apply, you must meet the following requirements:
1. Education: To qualify, you must have completed the requirements necessary to get a master's degree from an eligible university in Ontario:
Algoma University
Brock University
Carleton University
Dominican University College
Lakehead University
Laurentian University
McMaster University
Nipissing University
And more...
At least one academic year of full-time study (that is at least 15 hours of instruction per week over the academic year including any period of training in the workplace as part of your studies. Part-time studies may qualify, if the program is equivalent to at least one full-time academic year).
You don’t qualify if you are enrolled as a student when you are applying, unless:
It is for the purpose of meeting the requirements to be licensed in a regulated occupation in Ontario
You are also working full-time in Ontario
You don’t qualify if you have received a bursary, grant, or scholarship that requires you to return to your home country after you earn your master's degree. You may only apply after you have fulfilled those commitments and can demonstrate an intention to live in Ontario.
2. Language: You must be able to understand, read, write and speak in English or French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 or higher. To prove that you have the mandatory language skills, you must take an approved English or French language test before you submit your application to this stream.
The test must not have been taken more than two years from the time you submit your application, not from the time you received the invitation to apply.
3. Residency in Ontario: You must have legally lived in Ontario for at least one year in the past two years before you apply.
Note that your one year of residency can be cumulative. This means that there can be gaps provided that all the periods of residency in Ontario add up to 12 months within the past two years before you apply.
4. Settlement funds: You must have enough money to support yourself and your dependent family members when you settle in Canada. You can meet this requirement through one or a combination of any of the following:
the balance listed in bank statements, or statements of accounts showing other investments such as non-locked in, fixed-term deposits, mutual funds, etc.
annual earnings from ongoing employment in Ontario
a job offer in Ontario
5. Intention to live in Ontario: You must intend to live in Ontario after you’ve been granted permanent residence. They determine this by examining your ties to Ontario, which can include doing things like:
working or having worked in Ontario
getting job offers or applying/interviewing for jobs
studying
volunteering
leasing or owning property
visiting
having professional networks and affiliations, family ties, and personal relationships
6. Residency at time of application: At the time you apply, you must be either living in Ontario with legal status or living outside of Canada. You don’t qualify if you’re living in a province or territory in Canada other than Ontario at the time you apply.
7. Legal status in Canada (if applicable): If you are applying from within Canada, you must have legal status (a visitor record, study permit, or work permit) at the time you apply and should maintain that status until the time of nomination.
I'm Interested! Now What?
You've read this post and realized you're eligible for these streams, or you're not eligible but are highly interested in Provincial Nomination.
We can help! The first step is to book a consultation with one of our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants using the link below. Our consultants will answer your burning questions and assess your eligibility for Provincial Nomination.