The path to PR and citizenship is complicated in the USA and could take about 20 years. On the other hand, the PR and citizenship process in Canada, Australia and New Zealand are much faster. If you qualify for their immigration programs, you could get citizenship in about 4 years. Many Indian students prefer those countries to the USA because of this reason. In the UK, though the process is fast and takes only about 5 years, the situation is very different.
United States PR and Citizenship:
If you are looking for a great education and international exposure, your best choice would be the United States because American research universities are the gold standard in the world. The USA gives staying back experience for a couple of years as well, but settling in the USA is complicated and it takes many years to obtain permanent residency (green card).
If you get a bachelors or master’s degree, you will have to get an H1B visa to work there. After 6 years on the H1B visa, an employer must file for a green card for you. For Indian citizens, the current wait time for the green card is about 10 years.
Once you are on a green card, it takes you 5 years to get citizenship, so it takes about 21 years for you to become an American citizen.
An exception is that if you have a PhD, you qualify for an EB1 category of the green card which takes only a year. Through that path, you can become a citizen in about 8 to 10 years.
Currently, the H1B visas are not given to every applicant. The general H1B is only 60,000 in numbers every year. There are another 20,000 H1B visas for American graduates. For 2023, about 400,000 applications are received. As the applicants are more than the available H1B visas, the awardees are decided by lots, so luck plays a huge role. It is clear that obtaining an H1B is not guaranteed for any student. There is only a 20% chance for one to get an H1B. Even with an H1B, it might take you another 20 years to get citizenship.
Canada PR and Citizenship:
Canada has a very generous immigration program because they are in need of more people to support the economy and they have plenty of unused land.There are four different programs.
Canadian experience class: You must meet the required language levels needed for your job for each language ability-writing, reading, listening, speaking. You have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, in the last 3 years before you apply.
Federal Skilled Worker Program: If you meet all the minimum requirements, they then assess your application based on age, education, work experience, whether you have a valid job offer, English and/or French language skills, adaptability (how well you’re likely to settle there). These factors are part of a 100-point grid used to assess eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. You earn points for how well you do in each of the 6 factors. The current pass mark is 67 points.
Provincial Nominee Program: To apply as a provincial nominee, you must: meet the minimum requirements of one of the province or territory’s non-Express Entry streams and be nominated under that stream. Some provinces have very generous programs if you study there.
Atlantic Immigration Program: The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to work and live in one of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador. The program helps employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally.
Australia PR and Citizenship:
International students can apply for any one of the following permanent visa options under workstream visas:
Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa: This visa is a point-tested visa that does not require any territory or State nomination. If you are an international student who graduated from Australia and any employer or relative does not sponsor you, you can apply for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189).
Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated Visa: This visa is suitable for skilled workers nominated by a territory or state government agency. To be eligible for this visa, you must prove that you have an appropriate skills assesments for the occupation listed in the Skilled Occupation List.
Subclass 491 Skilled Regional Visa: To be eligible for this visa, you must get a sponsorship, fulfill skill requirements, or receive a nomination from an Australian region, state, or territory.
Once you have a PR for a year, if you have lived in Australia for four years, you are eligible for Australian citizenship.
New Zealand PR and Citizenship:
For international students, the best way to obtain PR is through the The Skilled Migrant Category. This type uses a points system based on factors such as age, work experience, qualifications, and offer of skilled employment to determine eligibility. This category is for those who want to stay in New Zealand indefinitely, have been offered a job, and meet the above-mentioned criteria. Most students who have finished a master’s or a PhD program would be eligible for PR.
United Kingdom PR and Citizenship:
In short, many developed countries offer a path to permanent residency and citizenship. But they differ in eligibility criteria, processing times and probability of success. While the chances are less in the USA and the UK, international students stand a better chance in countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. An expert in this area can definitely help bring clarity to your thoughts and answer those important questions for you. When you set out for the most important journey of your life, it is always good to have a great roadmap in your hands.