Last verified: June 28, 2026 · Official sources: IRCC · Ontario.ca OINP
General information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer.
This is the spine that connects all the Study in Canada and Permanent Residence guides. Whether you are just choosing a school or already holding a PGWP, this map shows you where you are and what comes next.
The three-stage journey
- Apply
- PAL / TAL
- Study permit
- Enroll at PGWP-eligible DLI
- Graduate
- PGWP (within 180 days)
- Work experience
- Language tests
- CRS score
Federal Express Entry
- Express Entry (CEC / FSW)
- ITA
- PR application
- Landing
— or —
Provincial Nomination
- Provincial nomination (e.g. OINP)
- +600 CRS
- ITA
- PR
Stage 1: Study in Canada
Step 1 — Choose a PGWP-eligible school and program
This is the most important decision you make before arriving. Not every school or program qualifies for a PGWP. Get this wrong and you graduate with no path to stay.
- ✅ Your school must appear on IRCC's PGWP-eligible DLI list.
- ✅ Your program must be ≥8 months and — for non-degree programs (if study permit applied Nov 1 2024+) — on the eligible CIP codeCIP code: Classification of Instructional Programs code — the taxonomy IRCC uses to decide field-of-study eligibility for PGWP. list.
- ✅ Degree programs (bachelor's, master's, doctoral) are exempt from the field-of-study requirement.
→ Choosing a PGWP-Eligible School & Program
Step 2 — Get your PAL / TAL
Most applicants need a PALPAL: Provincial Attestation Letter — confirms your province has a 2026 study-permit space for you. Required for most new study permit applications. from their province before IRCC will process their application. Master's/doctoral students at public DLIs are exempt from Jan 1, 2026.
→ PAL, TAL & the 2026 Student Cap
Step 3 — Apply for and receive your study permit
With PAL in hand (if required), submit your application to IRCC with proof of funds and required documents.
→ Study Permit: Who Can Apply & How
Step 4 — Study, work part-time, build experience
During your studies, you can work up to 20 hours/week off campus. Skilled part-time work in your field now reduces the time you need after graduation to hit 1 year of Canadian experience (the CEC threshold).
Stage 2: PGWP — the bridge from student to worker
Step 5 — Apply for your PGWP within 180 days of graduation
After IRCC confirms your program completion, you have 180 days to apply for your PGWPPGWP: Post-Graduation Work Permit — an open work permit, no employer required, valid for up to 3 years. Your bridge from graduation to PR-eligible work experience.. Apply as soon as you get your completion confirmation — don't wait.
PGWP requirements:
- ✅ Graduated from a PGWP-eligible DLI and program
- ✅ Applied within 180 days of program completion confirmation
- ✅ Language: CLBCLB: Canadian Language Benchmark — the scale IRCC uses for English/French. CLB 7 is intermediate-high; CLB 5 is intermediate. 7 for university grads + college bachelor's; CLB 5 for other college/non-university programs (rule applies if you applied for your study permit on/after Nov 1, 2024)
- ✅ Language test results less than 2 years old
→ Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) — deep dive
Step 6 — Accumulate 1 year of skilled Canadian work experience
On your PGWP, aim for work in a NOCNOC: National Occupational Classification — the federal job classification system. TEER 0, 1, 2, 3 = skilled/professional roles. Required for CEC and most PR programs. TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation. This is the experience that qualifies you for the Canadian Experience Class.
1 year (1,560 hours) of skilled Canadian work experience in the last 3 years is the core CEC requirement.
Step 7 — Get your CRS score and create an Express Entry profile
The CRSCRS: Comprehensive Ranking System — IRCC's point-based score (max 1,200) used to rank Express Entry candidates. Age, education, language, and Canadian work experience are the main factors. score is what determines whether you receive an Invitation to Apply. Use the CRS Calculator to understand your score breakdown before you create your profile.
→ CRS Calculator → Express Entry Overview & CRS
Stage 3: Permanent Residence
Path A — Federal Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class)
Best for: graduates with skilled Canadian work experience who do not have a provincial nomination.
The CEC is specifically designed for people who studied and worked in Canada. If you meet the eligibility criteria and have a competitive CRSCRS: Comprehensive Ranking System score — determines your rank in the Express Entry pool. score, you can receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) directly from the federal Express Entry pool.
IRCC now runs a mix of general draws (open to all three programs) and category-based draws (targeting specific occupations like STEM, Healthcare, Trades). Check the Draw Tracker for recent cutoffs — do not rely on fixed numbers, they change with every draw.
→ Canadian Experience Class (CEC) → Express Entry Overview & CRS → Draw Tracker — live draw data
Path B — Provincial Nomination (PNP)
Best for: people who want or need a faster path, or who don't have a high enough CRS for a direct federal draw.
A provincial nomination from an Enhanced stream adds +600 CRS points, making an ITA effectively guaranteed. Some provinces also have Base streams that bypass Express Entry entirely.
Ontario (OINP) — 2026 situation: as of June 26, 2026, all 8 old OINP streams were permanently closed. The new Workforce Priority stream generally requires a qualifying job offer. The old Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams (which didn't require a job offer) no longer exist. Federal Express Entry is now a more central path for many Ontario graduates.
Recent Ontario graduates with a job offer may qualify for the Workforce Priority stream with as little as 3 months of work experience in the job-offer role (reduced from 6 months).
→ Ontario OINP 2026 Redesign — Full Guide → PNP Overview
Decision tree: which path is right for you?
| Your situation | Likely best path |
|---|---|
| Strong CRS (check Draw Tracker), skilled work exp | Federal Express Entry (CEC or FSW) |
| Lower CRS but skilled Canadian work exp + job offer in Ontario | OINP Workforce Priority (when EOI reopens) |
| STEM, Healthcare, Trades, French | Category-based draw — check current categories |
| Limited Canadian experience, outside Canada | Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) |
| Not sure | Try the Eligibility Wizard |
Timeline: realistic estimates
| Stage | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Study permit processing | Weeks to months (country-dependent) |
| Degree program | 2–4 years |
| PGWP application processing | Weeks (apply online within 180 days) |
| Building 1 year Canadian work exp | 12 months on PGWP |
| Express Entry profile + ITA | Variable — can be weeks to 1+ year depending on CRS |
| PR application processing (after ITA) | TODO: verify — IRCC's current target; check IRCC processing times |
Total from arrival to PR landing: typically 4–7 years for the study-permit-to-PR path, though it varies widely based on program length, work experience timing, and CRS score.
Quick action checklist
- ☐ Before applying to schools: verify each program is PGWP-eligible (DLI list + CIP code if non-degree)
- ☐ Factor PAL timelines into your application calendar
- ☐ Take a language test early — CLB results influence both PGWP and CRS
- ☐ Work in your field during studies (even part-time) — it counts toward CEC
- ☐ Apply for your PGWP as soon as you receive completion confirmation — don't wait
- ☐ Create your Express Entry profile once you have ≥1 year Canadian experience
- ☐ Apply for a BOWPBOWP: Bridging Open Work Permit — keeps you working legally in Canada while your PR application is being processed, if your PGWP is about to expire. if your PGWP expires before your PR is decided