Canada Removes Field of Study Requirement for PGWP: New Rules for International Students

In a major policy change, the government of Canada has removed the field of study requirement for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), providing greater opportunity for foreign students. Made by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship department, the move is meant to streamline the international education sector's regulation.

The ruling, as ratified by Larissa Bezo, CEO of the Canadian Bureau for International Education, is that graduates of college degree programs no longer require to have learned in a particular field in order to be eligible for the PGWP.

Eligibility Criteria and Language Proficiency

To qualify under the new regulation, foreign students are required to prove their English or French proficiency. University degree holders (bachelor's, master's, or doctoral) are required to score 7 in all four areas of language in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC). College program graduates require a CLB or NCLC score of 5. These language proficiency requirements are to apply to PGWP requests filed after November 1, 2024.

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This adjustment favours international students who have applied for a study permit after November 1, 2024, to study for a bachelor's or master's degree at a Canadian college. All graduates of any bachelor's or master's program at a Canadian college are eligible to apply for the PGWP, as long as they fulfill the new eligibility requirements.

Exceptions to the New Restrictions

There are some types of students exempted from these new restrictions:

• Students who started their studies prior to November 1, 2024, are exempted from field of study restrictions.
• Grads from flight schools are eligible for the PGWP without any restrictions based on language ability or field of study.
• Many programs that are offered under curriculum licensing arrangements (after May 15, 2024) are not eligible for the PGWP.

Work Permit Duration

The length of the work permit varies according to the duration of the completed program. For programs that range from 8 months to 2 years, the work permit is granted for the same period as the program. If the program is 2 years or more, students may apply for a three-year work permit. Where several programs are completed, the combined period may be considered under some exceptions.

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The applicant should have a passport valid throughout the eligible period of PGWP. The permit of work shall be given only for a duration as that of the valid passport. When the passport validity lapses before the end of the full eligible period, a PGWP extension may be sought by securing a new passport of the appropriate validity and a paper application for extension.

This policy shift is a major departure from Canada's current international student strategy, providing greater flexibility and options for graduates to acquire meaningful work experience in Canada.