Canada’s New Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Rules: What International Students Need to Know
Beginning on November 1, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is set to implement revised eligibility criteria for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The upcoming changes will have a profound impact on international students, especially those enrolled in college programs, as they will involve stricter requirements regarding the fields of study that qualify for the permit.
Key Updates
- Grandfathered Eligibility: Students who applied for or held a study permit before November 1, 2024, remain eligible under current rules.
- New Field of Study Requirement: After this date, college graduates will only qualify for a PGWP if they completed studies in an “eligible field of study.”
University Graduates Remain Unaffected
University graduates will continue to be eligible for a PGWP of up to three years, regardless of their field of study. However, for college graduates, eligibility will be restricted to specific fields.
Eligible Fields for College Graduates
As of November 2024, college graduates must complete programs in one of the following fields to qualify for a PGWP:
- Agriculture and agri-food
- Healthcare
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
- Skilled trades
- Transportation
Notably, fields such as tourism, hospitality, and business studies, popular with international students, are absent from this list.
Impact on Educational Institutions
The exclusion of business and hospitality has sparked concerns from educational leaders, who fear that these changes will disrupt local economies, especially in rural areas that rely on international graduates.
New Language Requirements
Applicants will also need to meet language proficiency standards:
- University graduates: CLB 7 (English) or NCLC 7 (French)
- College graduates: CLB 5 or NCLC 5
These new rules are expected to reduce the number of international students eligible for PGWPs, reshaping Canada’s immigration landscape.
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