International students 2022 program update

Last Updated On 11 March 2023, 10:14 AM EST (Toronto Time)

On December 23, 2022 IRCC provided a program update removing all students COVID-19 program delivery instructions after August 2023.

These operational instructions and guidelines are used by IRCC staff to process applications.

So, these new instructions means immigration staff has been advised that special COVID measures will no longer be applicable after August 2023.

However, any international students who previously was meeting the eligibility requirement for Post Graduate Working Permits (PGWPs) and distance learning special measures will continue to benefit from the temporary policies.

Between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023, new temporary policy modifications (known as “reduced facilitation measures”) will be in place for students who began or will commence PGWP-eligible programs between those dates.

However, old temporary policy COVID adjustments will continue to be applicable for students who enrolled in program prior to August 31, 2022.

Normally, all distance learning courses that a student completes outside Canada are excluded from the time that counts toward the length of the PGWP.

Moreover, 50% of a student’s courses must be completed in Canada and in person to be eligible for PGWP.

But certain adjustments were made to this during the pandemic.

Now IRCC has provided new instructions for students starting their program after September 2022.

International Students Can Now Work Unlimited Hours-Know Eligibility

For International Students who started their study between March 2020 and August 31, 2022

No requirement to complete 50% of their program (or programs) of study in Canada.
Up to 100% of their program can be completed online from outside Canada.
Time spent studying outside of Canada can be used to qualify the total length of the PGWP up until August 31, 2023.

For International Students who started their study between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023

Are required to complete at least 50% of their program (or programs) of study in Canada.
Time spent studying outside of Canada can be used to qualify the total length of the PGWP up until August 31, 2023.

Doing 2 Different Study Programs (Or Program Stacking)

Eligible international students who graduate from 2 study programs that were either in progress in March 2020 or begun between March 2020 and August 31, 2022 will be able to:

complete 100% of both programs from outside of Canada (only if both programs were in progress or started between March 2020 and August 31, 2022) and
combine the length of their programmes of study when applying for a PGWP in the future

Students who began their second program on or after September 1, 2022, must finish at least 50% of their second program in Canada (in-person).