The Canadian government has recently removed the field-of-study requirement for international students who wish to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). This new policy change opens up more options for international students and benefits them in several ways.
Previous requirement:
- Previously, international students who wanted to study in Canadian colleges had to meet specific field-of-study requirements to be eligible for a PGWP.
- Not all programs in Canadian colleges were eligible for a post-graduation work permit. To obtain a PGWP, students had to pick a course from one of these categories – agriculture and agri-food, healthcare, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, trade and transport.
Current requirement:
- But now, the rules have changed! The field of study doesn’t limit eligibility for the PGWP.
- Whether the student is pursuing their studies at a college or university, they will now have equal opportunities to apply for the PGWP.
This update is effective for those who applied for PGWP on or after 1 Nov 2024. The old requirements stand for those who applied before 1 Nov 2024.
Here’s how this change benefits international students:
- This policy update grants international students greater freedom to pursue their academic interests—whether in arts, business, or technical fields—as they are no longer limited by concerns about PGWP eligibility.
- This update also increases the chances of transitioning to permanent residency.
- The work experience that students gain through the PGWP can help them qualify for immigration programs like Express Entry. In essence, this policy update opens the door for international students to build a future in Canada, both professionally and personally.
The changes open the door to shorter, vocational courses
Colleges in Canada usually provide shorter vocational and technical programs, which aim to prepare students with the skills needed in today’s job market. Universities, on the other hand, focus on longer, research-based programs like bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.
In the past, stricter immigration policies had made it harder for Canadian colleges to attract international students, especially when compared to universities. Now, with the changes in requirements, colleges have a better chance to compete with other institutions around the world, focus on their strengths and draw in a diverse range of international students.
While the recent policy update removes the field-of-study requirements, there’s one important detail to keep in mind: language proficiency. Meeting language requirements ensures that students are ready to contribute effectively to the Canadian workforce. This typically involves proving their skills in English or French through standardised tests such as IELTS (English) or TEF (French).
Conclusion
This policy change is important because of the economic benefits it brings—not just for Canada, but also for international students. Canadian colleges are great at preparing students in specialised fields like business, technology, and healthcare, which are important for the country’s economic growth.
By removing the field-of-study requirement, Canada is essentially investing in international students as a future contributor to its workforce. After they graduate, they'll have opportunities to work in jobs that match their skills and even apply for permanent residency. This is a win-win situation: students get valuable work experience, and Canada benefits from having skilled professionals to boost its economy.
