ITA faster than CEC: Alternatives for international graduates and students in Canada

International students and graduates in Canada have access to multiple provincial pathways that could lead to an invitation for permanent residence (PR) faster than through Express Entry’s Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

This is because many of these alternative Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams feature greatly reduced work experience requirements, as compared to the CEC’s one year of Canadian work experience for eligibility.

Despite initial uncertainty due to nomination allocation cuts in 2025, this year is expected to see far more activity with the substantial rise in provincial immigration levels.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams

This article will go over the minimum ITA timeline and key details for immigration pathways in:

Ontario;
Manitoba;
Alberta;
Nova Scotia;
Prince Edward Island; and
Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ontario (OINP)

Note: Ontario has recently proposed an overhaul of its immigration streams. Consequently, much of the information below may soon be subject to change.

Employer Job Offer: International Student stream

Minimum timeline to enter candidate pool: Students and graduates can enter the program pool via an Expression of Interest (EOI) as soon as they have an eligible Ontario job offer. This stream has no work experience requirements for consideration.

Candidates must have:

A full-time job offer from an Ontario employer that pays equal to, or higher than, the low-wage level in the specific region of Ontario where work will be conducted; and
An eligible post-secondary credential from an eligible Canadian institution (can be out of province).
Meet all other stream criteria.

Residency requirement: This stream does not feature any residency requirement prior to entering the candidate pool, but it is an Ontario job-offer-driven stream with candidates expected to reside in Ontario if nominated.

Last draw: February 2, 2026.

Master's Graduate stream

Minimum timeline to enter candidate pool: A graduate can register an EOI as soon as they have completed a master’s degree at an eligible institution and can demonstrate they meet the stream’s core requirements.

Candidates must have:

An eligible Ontario master’s degree;
Required language ability (Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 for this stream); and
Proof of settlement funds (or other acceptable financial criteria) and intent to live in Ontario.

This is one of Ontario’s graduate streams that does not require a job offer or work experience to be eligible.

Residency requirement: Ontario requires Master's Graduate candidates to have legally lived in Ontario for at least one year within the past two years before applying under the stream.

This means you don’t necessarily need to be living in Ontario on the day you register your EOI, but you must be able to prove the required Ontario residence history and show intent to settle in the province.

Last draw: September 17, 2024.

PhD Graduate stream

Minimum timeline to enter candidate pool: A PhD graduate can register an EOI as soon as they meet the stream’s PhD education criteria and can document requirements such as language results and Ontario residence history.

Candidates must have:

An eligible Ontario PhD.
Required language ability (CLB 7);
Settlement funds (or other acceptable financial criteria) and intent to live in Ontario.

Like the Master's Graduate stream, this graduate pathway is designed to work without a job offer requirement.

Residency requirement: Ontario requires PhD Graduate candidates to have legally lived in Ontario for at least one year within the past two years before applying. Candidates must also demonstrate intent to reside in Ontario after nomination.

Last draw: September 17, 2024.

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) – International Education Stream

Career Employment Pathway (MPNP)

Minimum timeline to enter the candidate pool: A graduate can submit an EOI after graduating from an eligible Manitoba program (within the last three years) and securing a qualifying full-time job offer.

Because Manitoba also requires the applicant to be working full-time in Manitoba when the application is assessed, the “fastest” scenario is typically one where the graduate transitions into qualifying employment immediately after finishing school.

Candidates must have:

A Manitoba educational credential (completed within the past three years) from a full-time program of at least one year/two semesters;
A minimum language proficiency of CLB/NCLC 7;
A full-time job offer (one-year contract) from an eligible Manitoba employer, in an occupation on Manitoba’s In-Demand Occupations List, consistent with the completed Manitoba program; and
Settlement funds (or qualifying long-term Manitoba employment) and a Career Employment Plan.

Residency requirement: Manitoba explicitly requires applicants to be residing in Manitoba at the time of application, and to be working full-time in Manitoba (with a valid work permit) when their application is assessed.

Last draw: Not applicable—this pathway is not run through a public draw schedule; eligible candidates submit applications directly once they qualify.

Graduate Internship Pathway (MPNP)

Minimum timeline to enter candidate pool: This pathway can be very fast for eligible graduates because there is no job-offer requirement. A candidate can submit an EOI soon after completing an eligible in-province master’s or PhD—provided they have also completed an eligible Mitacs internship and can meet baseline requirements like language and settlement funds.

Candidates must have:

A Manitoba master’s or doctoral degree, completed within the past three years;
A minimum CLB/NCLC 7 for language proficiency;
Completion of a Mitacs Elevate or Accelerate internship (including Accelerate Entrepreneur) with an eligible Manitoba industry/research enterprise; and
Settlement funds (or full-time long-term Manitoba employment).

No job offer is required at the time of EOI or application submission.

Residency requirement: Manitoba requires applicants to be residing in Manitoba at the time of application and to show intent to remain after nomination.

Last draw: Not applicable—this pathway is not run through a public draw schedule; eligible candidates submit applications directly.

Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)

Alberta Opportunity Stream – International Graduates

Minimum timeline to enter candidate pool: Alberta’s Opportunity Stream is work-experience driven, so the minimum is reached once the candidate has enough eligible Alberta work experience—including certain paid co-op work terms—and is working in Alberta in an eligible job at the time of application.

For many new grads, that means the earliest practical entry point is around the six-month mark—unless they can count qualifying co-op experience completed during their studies.

Candidates must have:

Valid temporary resident status and authorization to work in Canada;
Both an eligible occupation and qualifying employment in Alberta at the time of application; and
- Alberta flags that working remotely from outside Alberta can make a candidate ineligible.
Minimum work experience requirement is dependent on location and permit.
- Alberta specifies eligible experience in Alberta within a set lookback period; paid co-op terms may count.

Unique note for many Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders: Alberta requires the credential used to obtain the PGWP to be from an Alberta Advanced Education-approved public post-secondary institution, and that your occupation be related to the field of study for PGWP holders.

Residency requirement: Alberta requires applicants to be living and working in Alberta with valid status/authorization at the time they apply, and notes that remote work arrangements performed from outside the province can affect eligibility.

Last draw: February 2, 2026 (breakdown of candidates invited not specified)

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams

Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)

International Graduates in Demand

Minimum timeline to enter candidate pool: Because Nova Scotia requires a full-time, permanent job offer in a short list of in-demand National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes, the fastest path is for an eligible graduate to secure that job offer immediately after completion of an eligible Nova Scotia program.

Nova Scotia treats submitted applications as an “expression of interest” and places them into an EOI pool, selecting submissions periodically for processing.

Candidates must have:

A full-time, permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in an eligible NOC;
- Nova Scotia lists specific NOCs for this stream and notes that they can change.
Proof from an eligible Nova Scotia designated learning institution (DLI) that program completion requirements were met within three years of applying, as well as credential rules tied to the eligible NOCs;
A CLB/NCLC level 5 language test;
Eligibility to work in the position (including licensing, if required); and
Enough financial resources to successfully settle in Nova Scotia.

Residency requirement: Nova Scotia does not set a standalone “months of residency” requirement, but eligibility depends on a Nova Scotia job offer located in the province, and the program warns that leaving Nova Scotia or losing/changing the job offer can jeopardize eligibility (including after nomination). In practice, candidates should expect to be living in Nova Scotia and maintaining the qualifying employment while their application is assessed.

Last draw: Nova Scotia does not publish regular “draw” dates for this stream. It only contacts candidates selected from the EOI pool.

Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)

International Graduate stream

Minimum timeline to enter candidate pool: A PEI graduate can enter the EOI pool as soon as they have graduated from a publicly funded PEI post-secondary institution and secured a qualifying PEI job offer, while holding a valid status and a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

Candidates must have:

Graduated from a publicly funded PEI institution;
A full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a PEI employer;
- PEI specifies the offer must be permanent or at least two years in length.
A valid PGWP and legal status in Canada;
Language test results demonstrating a CLB/NCLC 4 for TEER 4 or 5 positions or “sufficient English/French” for TEER 0–3 positions, determined by the employer;
Sufficient financial resources to settle in PEI; and
The ability to attend an interview with provincial immigration authorities (if required).

Residency requirement: PEI does not list a minimum “time living in PEI” rule to create an EOI profile for this stream, so individuals can submit one as soon as they have a valid PEI job offer and meet all other stream requirements.

Last draw: January 15, 2026.

Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)

International Graduate Category

Minimum timeline to enter candidate pool: For graduates who meet the program’s study and job-offer requirements, the fastest path is shortly after graduation—once they hold a PGWP and have a qualifying job or job offer from a Newfoundland and Labrador employer.

However, for out-of-province graduates, program materials commonly describe an additional work-in-province condition that can push the earliest entry point farther out.

Candidates must have:

A qualifying Canadian credential and a PGWP;
A full-time job offer (one year in length minimum) from an eligible Newfoundland and Labrador employer, related to their field of study;
- Field of study exceptions may apply for graduates from Memorial University or the College of the North Atlantic
Sufficient settlement funds to settle in the province; and
Required qualifications/licensing for the job (if required).

Note that graduates of out-of-province institutions must have a job or job offer directly related to their field and work in the province for at least one year before they apply to the NLPNP.

Residency requirement: Out-of-province graduates must live and work in the province for at least one year, in a job directly related to their field. For others, there is no strict eligibility requirement.

Last draw: Not applicable—this is not a draw-based stream with published invitation rounds; candidates apply directly when eligible.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams