Canada has overtaken the United Kingdom as the preferred study-to-immigrate destination for international students seeking permanent residence, as both countries tighten immigration policies amid changing public sentiment.

According to Nairametrics, this development was revealed in a recent analysis by immigration policy observers and global mobility experts monitoring international migration trends.

The shift reflects Canada’s ability to maintain a clearer and faster post-study pathway to permanent residence, in contrast to the United Kingdom’s increasingly restrictive immigration framework.

In recent years, governments across advanced economies have moved to reduce migration levels, leading to stricter entry rules for international students and skilled workers.

Despite these broader policy changes, Canada has preserved a relatively streamlined transition from education to permanent residence, particularly for graduates of its recognised post-secondary institutions.

Under the Canadian Experience Class, which is the country’s primary federal route to permanent residence, international graduates may qualify after as little as one year of skilled work experience.

The United Kingdom, on the other hand, has extended and complicated the pathway from graduation to long-term settlement.

Although international students in the UK can apply for a graduate visa after completing their studies, the time spent on that visa does not count towards the residency requirement for indefinite leave to remain, which is the UK equivalent of permanent residence.

Graduates are required to switch to another qualifying immigration route, most commonly the skilled worker visa, which demands employer sponsorship, an eligible job role, and compliance with prescribed minimum salary thresholds.

Recent policy adjustments have further diminished the UK’s attractiveness to international students seeking long-term settlement.

From 2026, most bachelor’s and master’s degree graduates will be eligible for graduate visas lasting no longer than two years, with the duration set to reduce to 18 months for applications submitted from January 2027.

Only PhD graduates will continue to have access to a three-year graduate visa under the revised framework.

The UK government has also proposed extending the minimum residency requirement for permanent settlement from five years to as long as ten years.

In addition, the UK officially stopped issuing new Health and Care Worker visas to foreign care workers, a policy that took effect on July 22, 2025.

By comparison, Canada’s post-study work authorisation is both longer in duration and more directly linked to eligibility for permanent residence.

Time spent working under Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit contributes immediately towards permanent residence programmes, eliminating the need for graduates to first secure employer sponsorship before beginning their residency qualification period.

Skilled work under the Canadian system is broadly defined, encompassing a wide range of professional and technical occupations within the country’s classification framework.

For international students considering study destinations with long-term migration prospects in mind, the contrast between the two countries has become increasingly pronounced.

Students enrolling in Canadian institutions can expect up to twice the length of post-graduation work authorisation available in the UK, alongside a more predictable and transparent timeline towards permanent residence.