According to a study by Statistics Canada, immigrants to Canada who gain permanent residency through either the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) are more successful in getting a job in Canada than those who immigrate through the Foreign Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP).
This insight should help those who are migrating to Canada with the intention of getting a permanent residency in Canada after a few years. The possible reasons for these trends are:
Prior experience as a temporary worker
PNP and CEC candidates have better fortune in the labor market of Canada because they have probably had prior work experience as temporary workers. This gives them an advantage as they are aware of expectations from Canadian employers and are prepared to fulfill them.
The study indicates that two-thirds of permanent residents selected through this program were temporary foreign workers whereas they accounted for only a quarter of selected candidates under the FSWP or the QSWP.
Prior work experience is a highly favorable factor in gaining a PR visa, it is an indication that a foreign worker will easily fit in with the needs of the Canadian labor market. More than 93 percent of PNP candidates and 95 percent of CEC candidates have prior work experience. This acts in their favor while applying for a PR visa. For FSWP candidates it is only 80 percent.
The higher percentage of prior work experience in CEC and PNP candidates also explains why they earn more than FSWP immigrants in their first few years as permanent residents. In fact, they earn 56 percent more than FSWP candidates in the first year and 30 percent more till the fifth year according to the study.
| Criteria | CEC/PNP candidates | FSWP/QSWP candidates |
| Prior Canadian work experience | 93-95 percent | 80 percent |
| First-year salary | 56 percent more | – |
Education in Canada is an added advantage
Many of the CEC and PNP candidates would have come to study in Canada and accumulated some work experience through the Post-graduate work Permit (PGWP) requirements. This indicates that they would have already lived in Canada for many years before acquiring permanent residency. They would have also acquired the skills necessary to succeed in the Canadian job market such as having the required knowledge for the job as well as language proficiency. Pursuing a degree in Canada comes with inherent advantages.
Immigrants with pre-arranged jobs earned 15 percent more than those without, during their first two years after becoming permanent residents.
This may explain why immigration applicants who have a pre-arranged job offer are given between 50 and 200 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, depending on the seniority of the position offered. CRS is the point system used by the Express Entry system to assess candidates who apply for one of Canada’s economic immigration programs (FSWP, PNP and CEC, among others).
In addition, immigrants who had a high income in Canada before becoming permanent residents earned almost double those who had no Canadian work experience.
This is true even after controlling for other factors, such as education.
The study also suggests that having a pre-arranged job prior to immigration was associated with a higher wage.
Pre-arranged jobs are an advantage
The study also indicates that Immigrants who had pre-arranged jobs earned 15 percent more than those without such jobs especially during the first two years after becoming permanent residents.
Those with pre-arranged jobs also gain 50 to 200 additional points for their CRS score. This is also associated with gaining a higher salary.
These are the possible reasons why PNP and CEC candidates have a better chance when applying for Canada PR.