IRCC Update: New Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility Requirements

IRCC announced last week that there will be changes in the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) starting November 1, 2024. Today, November 4, 2024, IRCC finally published the new  Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility Requirements.

To be eligible for a PGWP, you must complete a study program at a PGWP eligible designated learning institution and meet the general and physical eligibility criteria. The new eligibility requirements will not be applicable if you graduate from a PGWP eligible flight school. 

What changed?

If you submitted your study permit application before November 1, 2024 and are applying for a PGWP on or after November 1, 2024, you must meet the language requirement:

• If you graduated with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral degree from a university, any other university program

• You must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 in English or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French in all 4 language areas.

• If you graduated from a college program or any other program:

• You must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all 4 language areas.

If you submitted your study permit application on or after November 1, 2024, you must also meet the new requirements that apply to your situation to be eligible to apply for a PGWP.

• If you graduated from a university bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral degree program:

• Language requirement: You must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 in English or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French in all 4 language areas.
• Field of study requirement: All fields of study are eligible. There is no additional field of study requirement.

• If you graduated from any other university program:

• Language requirement: You must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 language areas.
• Field of study requirement: You must graduate in an eligible field of study.

• If you graduated from a college program or any other program:

• Language requirement: You must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all 4 language areas.
• Field of study requirement: You must graduate in an eligible field of study.

Eligible field of study

If your study program has a field of study requirement, you must graduate from a program linked to certain occupations in long-term shortage. The fields of study are divided into 5 broad categories:

• agriculture and agri-food
• healthcare
• science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
• trade
• transport

Here's the list of eligible field of study

Language requirement

Your test results must be less than 2 years old when you submit your application. The following language test results are accepted:

• CELPIP (General Test)
• IELTS (General Training)
• PTE (Core option)

Here are answer to frequently asked questions.

Reference: www.canada.ca