With Express Entry now offering occupation-specific draws, the choice of employer is emerging as a make-or-break factor for international students hoping to stay in Canada long-term. A 24 January CIC News feature maps out companies—from SickKids Hospital to BC Hydro—that routinely hire in occupations prioritised under IRCC’s category-based selection.
Graduates who accumulate as little as six months of experience in an eligible National Occupational Classification (NOC) code can receive an invitation to apply (ITA) with CRS scores 60–80 points lower than general-draw thresholds. Healthcare, STEM, skilled trades and agri-food employers dominate the list, mirroring Canada’s most acute labour shortages.
Students and employers who need extra help navigating work-permit applications or temporary resident visas can turn to VisaHQ. The platform’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) consolidates application forms, document checklists and real-time consulate requirements, enabling users to submit error-free files and track status updates in a single dashboard—particularly useful when looming study-permit expiries leave little room for delays.
![Top Canadian employers give international graduates faster pathways to PR]()
Beyond Express Entry, many of the highlighted companies participate in provincial nominee streams that award job-offer points or support work-permit extensions. For example, PCL Construction’s rotational trainee program qualifies under Alberta Advantage Immigration, while Loblaw’s butcher apprenticeships align with Saskatchewan’s Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot.
The article also warns students to verify that a specific job’s duties match IRCC’s occupation description—title alone is not enough. Settlement advisers recommend integrating “immigration literacy” into campus career services so that co-op placements and part-time roles advance, rather than hinder, future PR plans.
For corporate mobility managers, the message is clear: internships and entry-level programs can be powerful retention tools. By aligning job descriptions with priority NOC codes, employers can shorten the immigration runway for high-potential talent and gain an edge in Canada’s tight graduate labour market.
Graduates who accumulate as little as six months of experience in an eligible National Occupational Classification (NOC) code can receive an invitation to apply (ITA) with CRS scores 60–80 points lower than general-draw thresholds. Healthcare, STEM, skilled trades and agri-food employers dominate the list, mirroring Canada’s most acute labour shortages.
Students and employers who need extra help navigating work-permit applications or temporary resident visas can turn to VisaHQ. The platform’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) consolidates application forms, document checklists and real-time consulate requirements, enabling users to submit error-free files and track status updates in a single dashboard—particularly useful when looming study-permit expiries leave little room for delays.
Beyond Express Entry, many of the highlighted companies participate in provincial nominee streams that award job-offer points or support work-permit extensions. For example, PCL Construction’s rotational trainee program qualifies under Alberta Advantage Immigration, while Loblaw’s butcher apprenticeships align with Saskatchewan’s Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot.
The article also warns students to verify that a specific job’s duties match IRCC’s occupation description—title alone is not enough. Settlement advisers recommend integrating “immigration literacy” into campus career services so that co-op placements and part-time roles advance, rather than hinder, future PR plans.
For corporate mobility managers, the message is clear: internships and entry-level programs can be powerful retention tools. By aligning job descriptions with priority NOC codes, employers can shorten the immigration runway for high-potential talent and gain an edge in Canada’s tight graduate labour market.
