The Canadian government has announced changes to its Postgraduate Work Permit (PGWP) for international students, which will be enforced after November 1, 2024 and beyond.
What will change in the PGWP eligibility criteria to work in Canada after you graduate?
If you submit your application for a study permit on or after November 1, 2024, you must meet the new requirements that apply to your situation to be eligible to apply for a PGWP in Canada.
Following are the details regarding different circumstances:
2. If you have graduated from another university program.
- Language Requirement: You must demonstrate your English or French language proficiency with a minimum level of CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 language areas.
- Field of Study Requirement: You must major in an eligible field of study.
3. If you have graduated from a college program or other program not listed above.
Field of Study Requirement
- If your course has a field of study requirement, you must graduate from a course linked to certain professions for which there is a long-term shortage.
- The study areas are divided into 5 broad categories: agriculture and agrifood; healthcare; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); trade; and transportation.
Canada restricts permits for international students and foreign workers
Canada also announced in September that it would cut international student permits in 2025 and tighten rules for foreign workers to further reduce the number of temporary residents in the country, according to an AFP report.
The move comes after several recent rounds of restrictions aimed at taming record immigration levels that pushed Canada's population past 41 million earlier this year.
In 2025, Ottawa plans to issue 437,000 study permits to international students, up from 485,000 this year and more than 500,000 in 2023.
It also places new restrictions on work permits for spouses of some international students and foreign workers. And it will step up checks before issuing travel visas to counter a spike in fraudulent or rejected asylum applications.