CIMM – Post-Graduation Work Permit Program and Labour Market Impact – November 25, 2024

Key Facts and Figures

• In 2023, there were 240,865 new Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders in Canada, up from 123,745 in 2022.
• As of October 31, 2024, for this calendar year, there were 174,365 new PGWP holders.

Key Messages

• On September 18, 2024, as part of a series of measures to support the Government of Canada’s commitment to reduce volumes of temporary residents, new eligibility requirements were announced for the PGWP program to better align it with labour market needs and permanent residence requirements.
• As of November 1, 2024, all new PGWP applicants will be required to demonstrate a minimum level of language proficiency – equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 level for university graduates and CLB 5 level for college graduates.
• Additionally, as of November 1, to be eligible for a PGWP, new study permit applicants intending to pursue college or certain shorter university programs (e.g. certificates, diplomas) will need to graduate from a field of study linked to occupations in long-term shortage.
• The list of PGWP-eligible fields of study has been published on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) website and includes over 900 programs across five categories: healthcare, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), trades, transport and agriculture and agri-food.
• Graduates from university bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs will remain eligible for a PGWP, regardless of their field of study, provided that they meet the minimum language requirement.
• These reforms were informed by a series of consultations held throughout the spring and summer of 2024 with officials from provincial/territories ministries of immigration and education, as well as national education associations and other key stakeholders.

Supplementary Information

• The PGWP Program is an open work permit with no requirement for a job offer, location of work or employer.
• The program allows students who have graduated from a provincially recognized Canadian postsecondary institution in an eligible program to gain skilled work experience in Canada, which can enable them to apply for a range of economic-class immigration programs.
• 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.