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How Provinces Help International Graduates Become Permanent Residents

May 7, 2025

SPS Canada

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How Provinces Help International Graduates

Many Canadian provinces have special immigration programs just for international students who graduate from schools in their province. These programs make it easier for those students to stay in Canada permanently. As of now, eight provinces offer such programs.

Which Provinces Have Programs for International Graduates?

The provinces that offer immigration streams for international graduates include:

Alberta
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan

These streams have different requirements, but most ask you to:

Show you truly plan to live in that province
Have enough money to settle there
Often, have graduated from a school within the province

Province	Stream	Job offer required?	EOI required?
Alberta	Graduate Entrepreneur Stream	No	Yes
Alberta	Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream	No	Yes
Manitoba	Career Employment Pathway	Yes	Yes
	Graduate Internship Pathway	No	Yes
	International Student Entrepreneur Pilot	No	Yes
New Brunswick	Private Career College Graduate Pilot Program	Yes	Yes
Newfoundland and Labrador	International Graduate Category	Yes	Yes
	International Graduate Entrepreneur – Starting a New Business	No	Yes
	International Graduate Entrepreneur – Purchasing an Existing Business	No	Yes
Nova Scotia	International Graduates in Demand Stream	Yes	No
Nova Scotia	International Graduate Entrepreneur	No	Yes
Ontario	Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream	Yes	Yes
	Master's Graduate Stream	No	Yes
	PhD Graduate Stream	No	Yes
Prince Edward Island	International Graduates	Yes	Yes
Saskatchewan	Worker with Saskatchewan Work Experience – Student Sub-category	Yes	No

Job Offer and Expression of Interest (EOI)

Some streams require:

A job offer from a local employer
An EOI profile, which means you must first show interest and wait to be invited before applying

It’s important to know that none of these streams are linked to Express Entry, a federal immigration system.

Province-by-Province Overview

Alberta

Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: For those who studied in Alberta and want to start or buy a business (must own at least 34%).
Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: For those who studied outside Canada but want to start a business in Alberta (ownership rules vary by location).
Non Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
Graduate Entrepreneur Stream	CLB 7 or higher in all language abilities.	No.	N/A.	Two years.	Yes.	-34% ownership of the business.
Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream	CLB 5 or higher in all language abilities.	6 months.	N/A.	Not specified.	No.	-Letter of recommendation from a designated agency. -Minimum ownership stake. -Minimum investment: 100k for urban area; 50k for rural area. -Business must be connected to 1 of 9 eligible sectors.

Manitoba

Career Employment Pathway: For graduates working in Manitoba in certain in-demand jobs.
Graduate Internship Pathway: For master’s or PhD graduates who completed specific internships.
International Student Entrepreneur Pilot: For graduates starting their own business (must own at least 51% and manage it for 6 months).
Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
Career Employment Pathway	CLB 7 or higher.	Must be working full-time in Manitoba.	Full-time job offer for at least 1 year, in a skilled, in-demand occupation related to your studies.	1 year, or 2 semesters.	No, but you must have a valid work permit.	N/A.

Non Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
Graduate Internship Pathway	CLB 7.	N/A.	N/A.	Any master’s or doctoral program.	No.	-Reside within the province at the time of application. -Settlement funds.
International Student Entrepreneur Pilot	CLB 7 or higher.	6 months.	Senior manager.	2 years.	No, but you must have a valid work permit when applying.	-Aged 21 to 35. -Have resided in the province since graduation. -51% ownership. -Settlement funds.

New Brunswick

Private Career College Graduate Pilot Program: For graduates from private colleges in NB with a full-time job offer. This program is temporary and will close in fall 2025.
Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
Private Career College Graduate Pilot Program	CLB 5 or higher in all language abilities.	N/A.	Must be: -Related to your field of study; and - Fall under an eligible NOC code within a priority occupation, in one sectors listed below. ~Education and social development; ~Health; ~IT and cybersecurity; or ~Business administration; ~Supply chain and logistics.	10 months*	No, but a work and/or study permit is.	-Graduate from Eastern College or Oulton College. -Get a full-time job and apply for work permit within 90 days of graduation. -Employer support.

Newfoundland and Labrador

International Graduate Category: For those with a job or job offer in specific job types, especially if they studied outside NL.
Graduate Entrepreneur (New Business): For those who started a new business after graduating from Memorial University or CNA.
Graduate Entrepreneur (Buy Existing Business): For those who bought a local business and manage it (must own at least 33.3%).
Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
International Graduate Category	CLB 4 or higher for candidates with a TEER 4 (in-demand) occupation.	-None – for in-province graduates; or -1 year (for out-of-province graduates).	-Skilled occupations, or in-demand TEER 4 occupations. -Occupation must be related to your field of study.*	N/A**	Yes, with at least 4 months validity remaining.	- Demonstrate settlement funds

Non Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
International Graduate Entrepreneur – Starting a New Business	CLB 7 or higher in all language abilities.	At least 1 year of continuous experience actively managing and owning the current business (33.3% minimum ownership).	N/A.	2 years of full-time, in person study at either MU or CNU within the past 2 years.	Yes.	Create at least 1 full-time job. -Must not be an ineligible business.
International Graduate Entrepreneur – Purchasing an Existing Business	CLB 7 or higher in all language abilities.	At least 1 year of continuous experience actively managing and owning the current business (33.3% minimum ownership).	N/A.	2 years of full-time, in person study at either MU or CNU within the past 2 years.	Yes.	-Create at least 1 full-time job. -Business must have been in continuous operation under the same owner for the past 5 years. -Employment offered to new employee(s) must have similar terms and conditions as existing staff have. -Must not be an ineligible business.

Nova Scotia

International Graduates in Demand: For graduates with a job in certain needed occupations.
International Graduate Entrepreneur: For those who started or bought a business and have managed it for at least one year (own at least 33.33%).
Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
International Graduates in Demand Stream	CLB 5 or higher in all language abilities.	N/A.	The following: -Paramedic (NOC 32102); -Pharmacy technician (NOC 32124); -Nurse aide/orderly/patient service associate (33102); and -Early childhood educator/assistant (42202). Job offer must be related to your field of study.	-30 weeks, or 24 weeks for paramedics.	No, but a work permit is.	-Be licensed to practice in NS (for regulated occupations). -The employer must have been operating in NS for at least 2 years.

Non Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
Master's Graduate Stream	CLB 7 in all language abilities.	N/A.	N/A.	1 year.	No, but a work permit is unless you have maintained status.	-Must apply within 2 years after completing Master’s. -Have resided in Ontario for at least 1 of the past 2 years. -Must be residing in Ontario, or outside Canada. -Cannot apply while enrolled as a student.*
PhD Graduate Stream	N/A.	N/A.	N/A.	N/A.	No, but a work permit is unless you have maintained status.	Must apply within 2 years of completing PhD.

Ontario

Employer Job Offer – International Student Stream: For graduates with a full-time job offer in Ontario.
Master’s Graduate Stream: For those with a master’s degree from an Ontario university who lived in the province for 1 of the last 2 years.
PhD Graduate Stream: For PhD graduates who lived in Ontario for at least 1 year during the last 2 years.
Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream	N/A.	N/A.	NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, 3 occupations.	If from an eligible Canadian institution: -Ontario institutions: 1-year certificate. -Non-Ontario institutions: 2-year undergraduate credential; or 1-year graduate credential.	No, but a work permit is.	Employer requirements: -At least 3 full-time employees; or, within the GTA, 5 full-time employees. -At least $500k annual revenue; or, within the GTA, $1 million annual revenue.

Non Job Offer Stream:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program required	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
Master's Graduate Stream	CLB 7 in all language abilities.	N/A.	N/A.	1 year.	No, but a work permit is unless you have maintained status.	-Must apply within 2 years after completing Master’s. -Have resided in Ontario for at least 1 of the past 2 years. -Must be residing in Ontario, or outside Canada. -Cannot apply while enrolled as a student.*
PhD Graduate Stream	N/A.	N/A.	N/A.	N/A.	No, but a work permit is unless you have maintained status.	Must apply within 2 years of completing PhD.

Prince Edward Island (PEI)

International Graduates Stream: For PEI graduates with a job offer in any type of job. Priority is given to healthcare, trades, and childcare workers.
Job offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
International Graduates	-CLB 4 or higher in all abilities, for NOC TEER 4 or 5 occupations. -For skilled occupations, sufficient proficiency for the job.	N/A.	Any*	1 year.	Yes.	N/A.

Saskatchewan

Student Sub-Category: For graduates from Saskatchewan schools with a full-time job offer in eligible fields and at least 6 months of work experience.
Job Offer Streams:

Streams	Language proficiency	Work experience	Occupation(s)	Length of program	PGWP required?	Other key criteria
Worker with Saskatchewan Work Experience – Student Sub-category	CLB 4 if in a NOC TEER 4 or 5 designated trade occupation.	6 months.	-Must be a skilled occupation, or be in a designated trade. -Must be related to your field of study. -Cannot be in Accommodations and food services, retail, or trucking.	N/A.	A PGWP or an Open Work Permit issued under the CUAET temporary public policy.	You must have a valid Job Approval Letter.

Provinces Without Active Streams

British Columbia ended its international graduate streams in late 2024 and delayed new ones for 2025.
Northwest Territories and Yukon currently do not offer programs for international graduates.

How to Apply for PR Through These Programs

To get permanent residence (PR) through these Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), you must apply at two levels:

1. Without an EOI

Apply directly to the province for nomination
If approved, apply to IRCC (the federal immigration department) for PR

2. With an EOI

First, submit an Expression of Interest
If invited, apply to the province
Once nominated, apply to IRCC for PR

Processing Time

Currently, the average time for a base PNP application to be processed by IRCC is 21 months.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive professional advice on any of your questions regarding Canadian immigration. get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Canada. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).

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