Transitioning from MA to PHD

[RadialMap]

I applied and was accepted to a top program in Canada for a one-year MA track in political science. My question is, what is the process for transitioning into a PHD program if I decide I want to continue? I am due to enter the Fall 2020 semester in September. If I complete my MA on schedule in 2021, do I have to get a job for a year and wait for acceptance into a PHD program in Fall 2022? Is there a way to continue taking courses for a PHD  track with the successful completion of an MA? 

This appears only to be a problem with one-year track MA programs because with a two-year track, you have one extra year to get everything in order. The one-year track would require me to prepare half-way in, which is hardly time enough to establish relationships that would benefit a new application. (I'd have to fall back on BA recommendations perhaps.)

What are others' experiences going through a one-year track MA to PHD? 

[cropop]

You would apply for Fall 2021 and send what transcripts you have, which is likely just the undergraduate ones. However, many schools will let you later send in an updated transcript, so you can potentially send in a fall transcript from grad school. You should also have an opportunity to note that you're working on a MA, what classes are you are taking and plan to take, etc. (whether in personal statement, on the app itself, or other ways).

You can easily get recommendations from grad school, if you want. Most apps aren't due until around the start of December, so that's basically a full semester. You can also start building relationships sooner, as in offer to volunteer in labs over the summer or things like that.

The only reason to wait is if your undergraduate transcript is very poor or your undergraduate recommendations are poor and you can't get new ones. You should be able to get grad recommendations easily enough (go to office hours, work on projects, be active in class, etc.), but not much you can do to overcome bad undergraduate grades without better graduate grades. But, I would still apply anyway under this circumstance and see what happens because grades are only part of it (same with recommendations, GRE, etc.)