Canada has overtaken the United Kingdom as the preferred study-to-immigrate destination for international students seeking permanent residence, according to recent analyses by immigration policy experts.
The shift comes as both countries tighten immigration policies, but Canada has maintained a faster and more transparent route from education to permanent residency.
Through the Canadian Experience Class, graduates can qualify for permanent residence after as little as one year of skilled work experience, a pathway that remains more straightforward than the UK’s increasingly restrictive system.
By contrast, the UK has lengthened the route from graduation to settlement. Graduate visa holders must now switch to qualifying work visas, often requiring employer sponsorship, minimum salary thresholds, and eligible occupations.
Post-2026 policies will further reduce the graduate visa duration to 18 months for bachelor’s and master’s students, while only PhD graduates retain three-year access.
In addition, the UK has increased residency requirements for permanent settlement and stopped issuing new Health and Care Worker visas to foreign care workers.
For international students considering long-term migration, Canada offers up to twice the post-graduation work authorization and a clearer, faster path to permanent residence.