IRCC Announces Eligibility Programs for Post-Graduation Work Permits

IRCC has released some updates about eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). According to the newly introduced rules issued last September, those international graduates applying for a PGWP effective on and after November 1 must meet specific requirements depending on their level of education. However, there is a notable exception: being included in this rather does not apply to bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in university degrees holders.

Eligible Fields of Study for PGWPs

The fields of study under the PGWP are similar to the Express Entry occupation-based categories IRCC established in 2023 and are also aligned with national labor market needs. Eligible categories include:

• Agriculture and Agri-Food
• Health Care
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
• Trade
• Transport

Programs that are eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit in these fields are classified using the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), which is Canada’s system of defining and classifying educational programs, like Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC) system that defines and categorizes jobs in Canada.

Though a sample table of examples of qualified instructional programs in each field is included, it represents only a sample:

This table does not provide the complete details of PGWP Eligible Instruction Programs 

Find Your CIP Code

Those newcomers aware of the title of their program and searching for its associated CIP code may use the following procedure:  

• Go to the Statistics Canada webpage for the 2021 CIP here.

• Use the search box or select fields of study from the table below.

• This will take you to a second table that displays sub-categories for all fields of study.

• Select the appropriate sub-category for the program you are searching for. If you are not sure, select the “display definitions” button at the top of the table and learn what each category contains

• Click the appropriate sub-category.

• Click on the appropriate link for the final page of the table showing particular education programs within the chosen category. To make the list clearer, you can again utilize the “display definitions” function.

• Click on the relevant program link.

• The final page will now provide a list of information about the program such as examples and exclusions. The names of the programs themselves are only generic so you have to rely upon the descriptions of each program to find which CIP code is the proper one used.

New Language Criteria for PGWP Applicants

In addition to these new field-of-study requirements, IRCC has also just implemented language requirements for eligibility for a PGWP that are based on the level of study completed by the graduate. The two changes are summarized in a table below.

It is important to note that students who apply for a PGWP before November 1 this year will no longer be subject to the field of study requirements but must still meet the language requirements outlined.