Federal and provincial immigration officials are currently discussing substantial changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility criteria. The PGWP is an open work permit available to international students who have completed an eligible program of study at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). According to notes from the IRCC Deputy Minister Transition Binder 2024, the Canadian immigration system aims to align the issuance of PGWPs with labor market needs. This would facilitate access to work permits for students entering occupations in shortage while reducing access for graduates from other programs.
The binder indicates that advice on this issue will be provided by the Minister in the spring of 2024, with the goal of implementing changes by January 2025. An internal survey document recently sent to relevant stakeholders by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) highlights some methods that will be used to align educational programs with PGWP availability. These methods include mapping job titles to programs of study to better understand which educational programs equip international students with the relevant skills and experience needed in in-demand sectors of the Canadian economy.
The internal document reveals that both IRCC and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) have synchronized Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC) system with the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) system. While the NOC system categorizes occupations in Canada, the CIP system performs a similar function for educational programs by classifying them by field of study. For example, the “carpenter” NOC is mapped to three programs of study: construction trades, carpentry, and woodworking/general.
The primary goal of these changes is to facilitate access to work permits for students entering occupations in shortage while reducing access for graduates from other programs. The PGWP program, last updated in 2008, has seen a 214% increase in work permits issued between 2018 and 2023. Recent announcements regarding temporary residence levels in Canada, including the introduction of an international student cap in January 2024, reflect the government’s intent to manage the number of new temporary residents to reduce stress on Canada’s social systems, such as healthcare and housing.
Gaining Canadian work experience through the PGWP is a critical pathway for international graduates to build eligibility for many permanent residence (PR) programs. Federal and provincial economic PR programs often require at least a year of relevant work experience for graduates to apply. These proposed changes to the PGWP program, if implemented, could have significant implications for international students currently studying in Canada and those planning to study in the future. As this is a developing story, further updates will be provided as they become available..
Source: CIC News