Canada is proposing significant changes to the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program to better align with labor market needs.
Canada’s immigration system proposes
significant changes to the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility
criteria. Federal and provincial immigration officials are currently discussing
these changes, which aim to align the issuance of PGWPs with labor market
needs. The PGWP is an open work permit available to international students who
have completed an eligible program of study at a Designated Learning
Institution (DLI).
According to notes from the IRCC Deputy Minister
Transition Binder 2024, the proposed changes will facilitate access to work
permits for students entering occupations with labor shortages, while reducing
access for graduates from other programs. The Minister will provide advice on
this issue in the spring of 2024, with the goal of implementing changes by
January 2025.
An internal survey document recently sent to
relevant stakeholders by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
reveals some methods that will be used to align educational programs with PGWP
availability. Both IRCC and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
have mapped job titles to programs of study. This mapping aims to better
understand which educational programs provide international students with
relevant skills and experience for in-demand sectors of the Canadian economy.
To implement these changes, the National
Occupation Classification (NOC) system, which categorizes occupations in
Canada, will be synchronized with the Classification of Instructional Programs
(CIP) system, which classifies educational programs by field of study. For
example, the "carpenter" NOC is mapped to three programs of study:
construction trades, carpentry, and woodworking/general.
The goal of re-aligning labor market needs is to
facilitate access to work permits for students entering occupations in shortage
while reducing access for graduates from other programs. The PGWP program, last
updated in 2008, has seen a 214% increase in work permits issued between 2018
and 2023. These changes also align with recent IRCC announcements regarding
temporary residence levels, including an international student cap and the
inclusion of temporary resident levels in the annual Immigration Levels Plan.
Gaining Canadian work experience through the PGWP
is crucial for international graduates to build eligibility for many permanent
residence (PR) programs. Federal and provincial economic PR programs often
require at least a year of relevant work experience. The proposed changes to
the PGWP program could impact the eligibility of international students already
studying in Canada, affecting their pathways to permanent residency.