Canada New Update: Changes in the Post-Graduation Work Permit
Posted by: Adeeba Naeem
14 June 2024 07:15 AM
The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit for international students who have completed their education at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
The Federal and Provincial Immigration officials are discussing the new changes to make in the post-graduation work permit eligibility.
According to the IRCC Deputy Minister Transition Binder 2024– Canada’s immigration system is planning to align Post-Graduation Work Permits to labour market needs to facilitate access to work permits for students moving into occupations that have labour shortages while reducing access for graduates from other programs.
As per the Binder, the advice on these new changes is given by the Minister in Spring 2024 and will be implemented in January 2025.
According to the internal document, IRCC and Employment and Social Development in Canada (ESDC) designed job titles for study programs.
This is to make it easier for international students to understand the relevant skills and experience needed in the in-demand sectors of the Canadian economy.
However, the exact information about these changes is yet to be disclosed.
This was done by coinciding Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC) system with the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP).
The NOC system is used to specify and categorize occupations in Canada, and the CIP system is used to classify educational programs by their field of study.
For example, the occupation of a carpenter is linked with construction trades, carpentry, and woodworking/general study programs.
IRCC states that the “goal of re-aligning labour market needs is to facilitate access to work permits for students entering occupations in shortage while reducing access for graduates from other programs.”
The last update on Canada’s PGWP to enable the issuance of open work permits to international graduates based on their study length was in 2008.
IRCC notes a significant increase of 214% in work permits issued under the PGWP between 2018 and 2023.
One of the most crucial steps taken by the IRCC for the first time in the country’s history is to include the temporary resident levels in the annual Immigration Level Plans.
This step was taken not just to prioritize the hiring of permanent residents or citizens for jobs but also to reduce stress on Canada’s social system, which includes healthcare, housing, etc.
In addition, gaining Canadian experience through the PGWP program will help international graduates become eligible for various permanent residency (PR) programs.
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