Changes in Canada's Post Graduation work permit: Explained

New Delhi: Canada has changed its post graduation work permit rules for international students and these norms are to be implemented from November 1, 2024.

Canada has seen record level immigration in the last year, where its total population amounted to approximately 41 million people. A large number of people in this number are immigrants, comprising of immigrant students and workers as well as their spouses.

As an attempt to restore normalcy in their population numbers, Canada has made several changes in the immigration system so that the country is better enabled to manage the influx of international students.

Following norms have changed:

• ⁠⁠Applications for PGWP as graduates of PGWP-eligible flight schools only need to meet the previous eligibility criteria even after November 1, 2024.
• ⁠Graduates of BA, MA or PhD program must have a CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks) 7 in English or NCLC (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens) 7 in French in all 4 language areas including reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. All fields of study are eligible.
• Graduates of any other university program must also have a CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 language areas including reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. They must also graduate in an eligible field of study.
• Graduates from a college or a university program that is not listed in the designated colleges must have a CLB 5 in English or a NCLC 5 in French in all 4 language areas. They must also be graduated in an eligible field of study.
• Overall language requirements include providing proof of language ability to meet the language requirements for the PGWP when submitting applications in the four language areas -- reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.
• Accepted language tests are: The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Pearson Test of English (PTE Core), the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF Canada / French), and Test de connaissance du français (TCF Canada / French).
• If the applicants' study program has a field of study requirement then they must graduate from a program linked to certain occupations in long-term shortage.
• Fields of study are broadly divided into five categories: Agriculture and agri-food; healthcare; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); trade; and transport.

Canada taming immigrant student influx

Earlier in September, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada department announced a decrease in the number of temporary residents-- from 6.5% of Canada's total population down to 5% by 2026. To achieve this goal, the federal government is taking action to manage increase of temporary residents and hold employers misusing the system accountable.

"We are reforming the International Student Program, tightening eligibility requirements for temporary foreign workers, enforcing employer compliance more strictly, and making our labor market impact assessments more rigorous to mitigate fraud, and more," the Canadian government said in a statement.

Consequently, the Canadian government has announced a "further reduction in the intake cap on international student study permits for 2025 based on a 10% reduction from the 2024 target of 485,000 new study permits issued, and then stabilizing the intake cap for 2026 such that the number of study permits issued remains the same as 2025."

Therefore, the number of study permits to be issued in 2025 gets reduced to 437,000.