Last Updated On 19 June 2024, 11:52 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
On March 22, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provided an update on the change in the new post-graduation work permit (PGWP) requirements’ effective date.
Initially, IRCC announced on January 22, 2024, that international graduates of college programs offered through a public-private curriculum licensing partnership will no longer be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) effective September 1, 2024.
However, IRCC has now updated that they are moving the previously stated effective date for this new PGWP rule to May 15, 2024, rather than September 1, 2024.
This implies that foreign students enrolled in public-private curriculum licensing partnership programs starting on May 15, 2024, or later will not be qualified for a post-graduation work permit.
It is being reported that IRCC decided to move the effective date because some of these institutions moved up their fall admission to June or August to avoid new PGWP changes announced at the beginning of 2024.
What are curriculum licensing agreements (public-private partnerships)?
Through these curriculum licensing agreements, students can earn their diplomas from programs offered by private career colleges on behalf of public universities that qualify for the PGWP.
According to new IRCC rules, these programs are NOT eligible for PGWP, with two exceptions listed below:
Exception 1: Curriculum licensing agreements made inside the same province
International students might qualify for a PGWP if, prior to May 15, 2024, they were enrolled in a program of study at a private college that was administered on behalf of a public institution in the same province.
However, students won’t qualify for a PGWP if they start one of these programs on or after May 15, 2024.
Exception 2: Curriculum licensing agreements between province
International students might qualify for a PGWP if, on or before January 31, 2023, they started a program of study at a private college that is offering instruction on behalf of a public college in a different province.
However, students cannot apply for a PGWP if they started one of these programs after February 1, 2023.
Canada PGWP Eligibility Scenarios
The study program in which an international student is enrolled must meet the specific requirements.
For a student to be eligible for a PGWP, they need to be in one of the following scenarios:
Ineligibility Scenarios for PGWPs
You cannot obtain a PGWP if any one of the below-listed scenarios applies to an international student:
- possess a research permit that ended more than 180 days prior to your application.
- previously obtained a PGWP.
- studied a second language, either French or English.
- completed courses in self-improvement or general interest.
- took part in the Global Affairs Canada-funded Government of Canada Awards Program (GAC).
- have obtained financial support from GAC
- received the Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada–Chile
- took part in the Organization of American States Fellowships
- participated in the Canada-Chile Scholars’ Exchanges Program
- completed the majority of the study program through correspondence, e-learning, or online courses.
- finished a study program at a Canadian non-Canadian institution.
- You completed a course or study program at a DLI for which you are not eligible for the PGWP.
- This also includes a curriculum licensing agreement (also known as a P3 or public-private partnership) that runs courses taught on behalf of a DLI that qualify for the PGWP.
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