Dear future neighbour,
International Students completing their studies in Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Canada are now ineligible to apply for a Postgraduate Work Permit (PGWP). This took effect yesterday, May 15, 2024.
On January 22, 2024, IRCC announced that international graduates of college programs offered through a public-private curriculum licensing partnership would no longer be eligible to apply for PGWP starting September 1, 2024. However, speculation suggests that this date was moved up to May 15, 2024, after IRCC found that some colleges had shifted their fall admissions earlier to evade the new rule.
See below PGWP eligibility requirement:
International students who have attended a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada can apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). To be eligible, they must have maintained full-time student status throughout their program and possess a study permit that has been valid for the past 180 days.
Students must also meet one of the conditions below to be eligible for PGWP
| Type of institution | Required length of program | Program outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Public post-secondary DLI, such asa college,a trade/technical institution, ora university | 8 months or longer | Your program must lead to one of the following:a degree (associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate)a diploma or a certificate |
| Quebec public secondary DLI offers vocational training programs | 900 hours or longer | Your program must lead to one of the following:a diploma of vocational studies (DVS)an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS) |
| Quebec collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) | 900 hours or longer | Your program must lead to one of the following:an attestation of college studies (ACS)a diploma of college studies (DCS) |
| Quebec provincially subsidized private post-secondary DLIorQuebec provincially subsidized private secondary DLI offering provincially subsidized vocational training programs | 900 hours or longer | Your program must lead to one of the following:an attestation of college studies (ACS)a diploma of college studies (DCS)You must be enrolled in one of the provincially subsidized study programs. This may not include all study programs offered at the DLI. |
| Canadian private-designated learning institution authorized by the province to confer degrees. | n/a | Your DLI must be authorized by the province to confer degrees, including an associate degree a bachelor’s degree a master’s degree or a doctorate You must be enrolled in one of the study programs leading to a degree, as authorized by the province. This may not include all study programs offered by the private DLI. |