Canada Introduces New Eligibility Requirements for Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program

In a significant move aimed at aligning academic outcomes with labour market needs, the Canadian government has announced the details of new eligibility requirements for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program, which will take effect on November 1, 2024. These changes will affect international students who wish to work in Canada after completing their studies.

Critical Updates to PGWP Eligibility Requirements being implemented from 1 November 2024

New language proficiency standards:

For University Students

If you pursue a bachelor's degree, master's degree, or doctoral degree program at a university, you must demonstrate a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 in English or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) 7 in French in all four language areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking). If you pursue another university program, the same language requirements apply to you, but your program must be in an eligible field of study or you will not be eligible for the PGWP.

For College Students

If you pursue a college program or another program not listed above, you must demonstrate a minimum of CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all four language areas and your program must be in an eligible field of study or you will not be eligible for the PGWP.

In short, university bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree students will not be required to have a specific field of study; all fields are eligible. However, students from other university and college programs will need to have graduated in an eligible field of study.

Here is the list of eligible fields of study

The fields of study are divided into 5 broad categories:

• Agriculture and agri-food
• Healthcare
• Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
• Trade
• Transport

Here's a comparison of the requirements before and after the change:

For other related changes, read: Study in Canada Update 19 Sept 2024

These changes will require prospective PGWP applicants to carefully select their study programs and prepare to meet the new language proficiency standards. students are advised to consult with Pyramid eServices’ overseas education experts to ensure they meet the updated criteria.

Government Statement

"The new eligibility requirements for the PGWP program are designed to support Canada's labour market needs while providing international graduates with valuable work experience," stated a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. "We encourage international students to review the new requirements and plan their studies accordingly."

To know about the programs that are now eligible under new PGWP criteria, please visit any of our branches or call us at 92563-92563.