Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility Update

Effective November 1, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has implemented new requirements for Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applications.

For Study Permit Applications Submitted Before November 1, 2024:

• University Graduates (Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree): Must demonstrate English or French language proficiency with a minimum level of CLB 7 (English) or NCLC 7 (French) across all four language skills.
• Graduates of Other University Programs: A minimum CLB 7 (English) or NCLC 7 (French) in all four language skills is required.
• College Graduates and Other Programs: A minimum CLB 5 (English) or NCLC 5 (French) in all four language skills is required.

For Study Permit Applications Submitted On or After November 1, 2024:

• University Graduates (Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree): Requirements remain the same.
• Graduates of Other University and College Programs: In addition to meeting the minimum language requirements above, students must graduate from an eligible field of study.

Eligible Fields of Study:

Graduates must meet the new requirements by completing a program in one of the following five broad categories:

• Agriculture and Agri-Food
• Healthcare
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
• Trade
• Transport

The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) is used to categorize eligible fields of study in Canada. For a detailed list of CIP codes associated with these fields of study and examples of qualifying program names, please see the table below.