The new rules link PGWP eligibility to fields facing long-term labour shortages, adding health, trades and education programs while cutting others.
OTTAWA — Canada has tightened the rules for international students seeking post-graduation work permits (PGWP), removing 178 fields of study from eligibility while adding 119 new ones linked to critical labour shortages.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the changes on June 25 in an update titled “Update on field of study requirement for post-graduation work permits.”
“To be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), international students in non-degree programs must complete a program in an eligible field of study linked to jobs in long-term shortages, such as those being prioritized under Express Entry,” the statement said.
The revised list now totals 920 eligible fields, with new additions in health care, trades, education, and social services.
However, students who applied for a study permit before June 25 will remain eligible under the old list.