CIMM – Post-Graduation Work Permit Program and Labour Market Impact – February 28, 2024
Key Facts and Figures
The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program is an open work permit with no requirement for a job offer, and no restrictions on type of work, location or employer.
The program allows students who have graduated from a provincially recognized Canadian postsecondary institution to gain skilled work experience in Canada, which can enable them to apply for a range of economic-class immigration programs.
In 2023, there were 243,294 new PGWP holders in Canada, up from 74,480 in 2018.
Key Messages
The PGWP Program provides post-study work opportunities for up to three years for graduates of certain post-secondary institutions.
To better align the program with the reforms to the international student program, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made two initial changes:
Starting [Redacted], international students who begin a study program that is part of a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be eligible for a postgraduation work permit upon graduation.
Under curriculum licensing agreements, students physically attend a private college that has been licensed to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college. These programs have seen significant growth in attracting international students in recent years, though they have less oversight than public colleges and they act as a loophole with regards to post-graduation work permit eligibility.
Second, graduates of master’s degree programs that are less than 2-years in duration, are now eligible to apply for a 3-year open work permit. Previously, the length of a PGWP was tied to the length of a study program, hindering select master’s degree graduates by limiting the amount of time they had to gain skilled work experience. This change recognizes that graduates of master's degree programs are excellent candidates to succeed in Canada's labour market and to potentially transition to permanent residence.
IRCC continues to explore further changes to PGWP eligibility to better align the program with labour market considerations and occupations in shortage.
Supplementary Information
Applications for a PGWP are exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
Since PGWPs are open work permits, IRCC has limited mechanisms to collect and monitor information on the type of work in which PGWP holders are employed.
