Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility updates

If you are a current student with a valid study permit who has recently completed a diploma or certificate program and have applied for your PGWP before November 1, 2024, you will be subject to the existing PGWP eligibility requirements. The new eligibility criteria will not affect you.

If you are a prospective student who has applied, or will apply, for a study permit before November 1, 2024, you will be subject to the existing eligibility requirements. The new eligibility criteria will not affect you.

If you apply for a study permit on or after November 1, 2024, you will be subject to the new eligibility criteria.

If you are enrolled in a certificate program and your study permit is set to expire before you complete the program, you must extend your study permit before its expiration to maintain valid status and authorization to study in Canada, even if you do not plan to enroll in a second program.

If you plan to submit a PGWP application on or after November 1, 2024, you will need to provide proof of language ability. Learn about how to meet the proof of language ability requirement.

If you also submitted your initial study permit application on or before November 1, 2024, you will not have an additional field of study requirement. You remain eligible for a PGWP that matches the length of your program, provided that you meet all other eligibility criteria.

If you plan to submit a PGWP application after November 1, 2024, you will need to provide proof of language ability. Learn about how to meet the proof of language ability requirement. 

If you also submitted your initial study permit application on or before November 1, 2024, you will not have an additional field of study requirement for either program. You remain eligible to combine both programs for a PGWP for up to 3 years, provided that you meet all other eligibility criteria.  

If you submitted your initial study permit application on or before November 1, 2024, the first program remains PGWP eligible regardless of the field of study.  

If you decide to pursue a second program and submit a study permit extension application before November 1, 2024, it is currently uncertain whether the field of study requirement will apply to this new program. In this case, you may choose to proceed with accepting the offer to the second program and submit the study permit extension application before the November 1, 2024 deadline. However, please be aware that IRCC may soon clarify exceptions to the new rules and study permit extension applications submitted before November 1, 2024, may or may not fall under the current grandfathering guidelines. As a result, the second program (if it lacks a corresponding CIP code) may not be eligible for the PGWP. To check if your field of study is PGWP eligible, visit IRCC’s website. 

If you submitted your study permit extension application before November 1, 2024, and the second program is not grandfathered under the current guidelines, you may have the option to request a refund of your program deposit fees. For more information, please contact the registration team at the School of Continuing Studies.

If you plan to submit a PGWP application after November 1, 2024, you will need to provide proof of language ability. As a graduate from a University-level certificate program, you must prove your English language skills with a minimum level of CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 language areas.  Learn about how to meet the proof of language ability requirement. 

If you are enrolled in a certificate or diploma program at the School of Continuing Studies, you must graduate from a program linked to certain occupations in long-term shortage. The fields of study are divided into 5 broad categories: agriculture and agri-food, healthcare, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), trade, transport, and have a corresponding Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code.  

To check if your program aligns with IRCC’s field of study requirement, you can search the program title on IRCC’s website. 

This webpage will be continuously updated as information becomes available. Please check back frequently. If you have a question that has not been answered here, please submit an inquiry form.