Canada has changed the rules of the Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) for foreign graduates. The country's government is reducing the number of work permits for expats by 10% from 2025, so that for the next two years, Canada plans to issue only 437,000 permits for residents of other countries. Immigration Minister Mark Miller believes that this trend will lead to a reduction in study permits by almost 300,000 over the next three years.
Here are the main points about the PGWP policy updates:
- After graduating from public colleges, foreign students are eligible to obtain a PGWP for a maximum of three years if their specialty relates to professions that are in short supply in the country.
- Graduates of public universities retain the right to pursue a PGWP for a maximum of three years, regardless of their chosen major.
- From November 1, 2024, PGWP participants will need to prove their level of English or French proficiency. Minimum requirements for applicants: Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for university students (equivalent to IELTS 6.0).
- Master's and doctoral students are also subject to restrictions and changes in the program from 2025.
- If a master's student from another country is enrolled in a course of less than 16 months, then their spouse will not be able to obtain a separate work permit in Canada from the end of 2024.
Smapse clients who want to enter Canada or are already studying in the country do not have to worry about their future career - students of universities with which our company cooperates have the opportunity to participate in a Post-Graduate Work Permit and receive a work permit for a period of three years after receiving a state diploma.
