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From Study Permit to Canada PR: The Student Route

The usual route is: study at a designated learning institution on a study permit, get a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), gain at least one year of skilled work in Canada, then apply for PR through the Canadian Experience Class in Express Entry. A study permit does not lead to PR by itself. PGWP applicants need CLB 7 if they graduated from a university or CLB 5 from a college, and many college programs must be in an eligible field of study.

Last updated: 25 October 2026 · Written by the PrepEve team

Step 1

Study permit (most applicants need a provincial attestation letter)

Step 2

Post-graduation work permit (PGWP)

PGWP language

CLB 7 for university graduates, CLB 5 for college graduates

Step 3

1 year of skilled work in Canada

Step 4

Canadian Experience Class through Express Entry

The student route to Canada PR, step by step

1. Study permit: study at a designated learning institution (DLI).
2. Post-graduation work permit: apply after you graduate from an eligible program.
3. Skilled work in Canada: at least one year in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job.
4. Express Entry: create a profile, and apply through the Canadian Experience Class when invited.

Step 1: Choose a program that keeps the PR route open

Not every program leads to a PGWP. Check these before you accept an offer:

• The school must be a designated learning institution, and the program must be PGWP-eligible.
• Field of study: since November 2024, college programs and some university certificates and diplomas must be in a field linked to occupations in long-term shortage. IRCC lists over 900 eligible fields in healthcare, STEM, trades, transport, and agriculture and agri-food.
• Degrees: bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates are eligible whatever their field of study, if they meet the language requirement.
• Provincial attestation letter: most study permit applicants need one from the province. In 2026, master’s and doctoral students at public institutions are among those exempt.

Step 2: The language tests along the way

• For admission and your study permit: the school sets its requirement, often IELTS Academic.
• For your PGWP: CLB 7 in all four skills if you graduated from a university, or CLB 5 from a college, on an IRCC-approved test.
• For Express Entry: an approved test such as IELTS General Training, less than 2 years old. IELTS Academic is not accepted.

Step 3: Get one year of skilled work in Canada

For the Canadian Experience Class, you need at least one year of skilled work in Canada in the last three years: 1,560 hours, full time or an equal amount part time, in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job. Work done while you were a full-time student does not count, and neither does self-employment.

Step 4: Apply through the Canadian Experience Class

• Language: CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs, or CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 jobs.
• No proof of funds is needed for the Canadian Experience Class.
• CRS points for Canadian study: 15 additional points for a one- or two-year credential, or 30 for three years or more.
• CRS points for Canadian work: 40 points for one year as a single applicant. From 3 November 2026, at least 12 months in an eligible high-wage occupation adds a bonus of 20 to 70 points.

Why your language score matters at every step

Meeting the minimum gets you a PGWP or makes you eligible for Express Entry, but your CRS score decides whether you are invited. For a single applicant, CLB 9 in all four skills gives 124 language points against 68 at CLB 7, and it raises your skill transferability points too.

Mistakes that close the PR route

• Choosing a college program outside the eligible fields of study.
• Missing the PGWP language requirement, or leaving the test until your permit is about to expire.
• Counting work done while studying full time towards the Canadian Experience Class.
• Letting your language result expire before you create your Express Entry profile.

This guide is general information, not immigration advice. IRCC decides every application, and its rules can change.

Official sources

• Post-graduation work permit: who can apply (IRCC)
• PGWP: language level from your test results (IRCC)
• Study permit: get the right documents (IRCC)
• Canadian Experience Class (IRCC)
• CRS criteria (IRCC)

Rules and scores change. Check the official pages above before you book a test or apply.

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