PGWP changes in June and modification in July

by Michael Scott

The post-graduate work permit (PGWP) continues to confound and confuse users and representatives alike. We were all confused when they changed the rules for graduates and students alike by declaring some programs and courses ineligible. Foreign graduates who had invested time and considerable funds studying and graduating were left with no status and a roadblock at the end of their studies. We all wondered together about the fairness of removing many study programs as ineligible after the fact. It would appear that a new government in place might explain the change of heart in IRCC in changing this practice.

Study programs that had initially been removed from eligibility effective 25 June 2025 will remain on the list of eligible fields until early 2026, according to a posting on the IRCC website on July 4, 2025. By some strange coincidence it came on the American birth date of July 4th. If you were tempted to make something of the date of the announcement, don’t. It is a relief for foreign students and graduates alike that reason and fairness has prevailed.

One immediate result of the change is that students who graduated between June 25, the initial date of the change and July 4, the date of the amendment, can still qualify for a PGWP based on the formerly removed course of studies. As a result of this change in practice, the current list of PGWP eligible educational programs changed from 920 courses to 1,107 programs. The changes primarily affect PGWP-eligible students in college programs such as international students in non-degree programs not leading to a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctrinal degree, on or after November 1, 2024. Graduates of master’s and doctoral programs are exempt from field-of-study requirements.

Post graduate work permits are open work permits issued to qualifying international graduates of eligible Canadian postsecondary institutions (Designated Learning Institutions). The open work permits can be up to three years in duration depending on the length of study. The open work permits are not limited to any one employer or job but enable the foreign graduate to work for most employers in most industries in Canada.

The changes announced on June 25, 2025, not only removed previously eligible programs while adding a number of new programs, including those in the “Education” field. The changes included 119 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) to the PGWP-eligible list and removing 178 CIP including the “Transport” category. The CIP program is how the federal government classifies educational programs.

Students who applied for a post-graduate work permit before June 25, 2025, are “grandfathered” under the changes. The graduate will be eligible for the work permit as long as their program was on the approved list at the time they applied for the work permit, even if it has since been removed.

In addition to meeting the field of study requirements the international student must: finish a program of study at an eligible designated learning institution that was at least in operation for eight months; maintain full-time student status in Canada during each semester of their study program; the student maintained full time student status for final semester; submit their PGWP within 180 days after graduation; maintain study permit validity during the 180 days after graduate; and meet language proficiency requirements in accordance with level of study.

Michael Scott is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC, R525678) who has 30 years of experience with Immigration Canada and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. He currently works as a licensed consultant with Immigration Connexion International Ltd. Contact him at 204-691-1166 or 204-227-0292. E-mail: mscott.ici@gmail.com.