Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility updates

Students transferring to �첥��Ƶ from another DLI after November 8, 2024, must meet the new �첥��Ƶ Permit requirements to maintain eligibility for PGWP. For more information, please visit the .

On September 18, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced planned changes to the International Student Program (ISP) and the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). More details about the were published on October 4, 2024, which will take effect on November 1, 2024.

Starting November 1, 2024, PGWP eligibility criteria will include a language proficiency requirement for all applicants and a field of study requirement for certain applicants.

York International will continue to monitor announcements and clarifications from IRCC about the new eligibility requirements. Information will be updated as it becomes available.

Last updated: December 17, 2024.

Information for Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Students

If you are graduating from a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree program at �첥��Ƶ and you apply for a post-graduation work permit after November 1, 2024, you will need to provide proof of language ability. Learn about how to meet the requirement.

Degree students will not have an additional field of study requirement. These graduates remain eligible for a PGWP for up to 3 years, regardless of the field of study.

Learn about full on the IRCC website.

Information for School of Continuing Studies, Certificate & Diploma Program Students

If you are a student at the School of Continuing Studies, some of the new PGWP updates may impact you. Please explore the following questions and answers for more information.

If you are a current student with a valid study permit who has recently completed a diploma or certificate program and have applied for your PGWP before November 1, 2024, you will be subject to the The new eligibility criteria will not affect you.

If you are a prospective student who has applied, or will apply, for a study permit before November 1, 2024, you will be subject to the . The new eligibility criteria will not affect you.

If you apply for a study permit on or after November 1, 2024, you will be subject to the .

If you are enrolled in a certificate program and your study permit is set to expire before you complete the program, you before its expiration to maintain valid status and authorization to study in Canada, even if you do not plan to enroll in a second program.

If you plan to submit a PGWP application on or after November 1, 2024, you will need to provide proof of language ability. Learn about how to meet the requirement.

If you also submitted your initial study permit application on or before November 1, 2024, you will not have an additional field of study requirement. You remain eligible for a PGWP that matches the length of your program, provided that you meet all .

If you plan to submit a PGWP application after November 1, 2024, you will need to provide proof of language ability. Learn about how to meet the requirement.

If you also submitted your initial study permit application on or before November 1, 2024, you will not have an additional field of study requirement for either program. You remain eligible to combine both programs for a PGWP for up to 3 years, provided that you meet all .

If you submitted your initial study permit application on or before November 1, 2024, the first program remains PGWP eligible regardless of the field of study.

If you decide to pursue a second program and submit a study permit extension application before November 1, 2024, it is currently uncertain whether the field of study requirement will apply to this new program. In this case, you may choose to proceed with accepting the offer to the second program and submit the study permit extension application before the November 1, 2024 deadline. However, please be aware that IRCC may soon clarify exceptions to the new rules and study permit extension applications submitted before November 1, 2024, may or may not fall under the current grandfathering guidelines. As a result, the second program (if it lacks a corresponding CIP code) may not be eligible for the PGWP. To check if your field of study is PGWP eligible, visit .

If you submitted your study permit extension application before November 1, 2024, and the second program is not grandfathered under the current guidelines, you may have the option to request a refund of your program deposit fees. For more information, please at the School of Continuing Studies.

If you plan to submit a PGWP application after November 1, 2024, you will need to provide proof of language ability. As a graduate from a University-level certificate program, you must prove your English language skills with a minimum level of CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 language areas. Learn about how to meet the requirement.

If you are enrolled in a certificate or diploma program at the School of Continuing Studies, 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, and have a corresponding Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code.

To check if your program aligns with IRCC’s field of study requirement, you can search the program title on

This webpage will be continuously updated as information becomes available. Please check back frequently. If you have a question that has not been answered here, please submit an .

PGWP Eligibility Criteria

The charts below demonstrate the specific eligibility criteria based on when a student applied for their study permit or study permit extension, highlighting differences in language requirements and the introduction of a field of study requirement for certain categories of graduates.

Eligibility if you applied for a study permit before November 1, 2024, and you are applying for a PGWP on or after November 1, 2024.

Graduate Category	Language Requirement	Field of �첥��Ƶ Requirement
Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a university	Minimum CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 areas	No restrictions on field of study
Other university programs (diploma/certificate)	Minimum CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 areas	No restrictions on field of study

Eligibility if you applied for a study permit extension before November 1, 2024, and you are applying for a PGWP on or after November 1, 2024.

Graduate Category	Language Requirement	Field of �첥��Ƶ Requirement
Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a university	Minimum CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 areas	No restrictions on field of study
Other university programs (diploma/certificate)	Minimum CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 areas	To be clarified by the IRCC

Eligibility if you applied for a study permit on or after November 1, 2024.

Graduate Category	Language Requirement	Field of �첥��Ƶ Requirement
Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a university	Minimum CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 areas	No restrictions on field of study
Other university programs  (diploma/certificate)	Minimum CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 areas	Must graduate in an eligible field of study

Eligibility if you submit a study permit extension application on or after November 1, 2024.

Graduate Category	Language Requirement	Field of �첥��Ƶ Requirement
Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a university	Minimum CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 areas	No restrictions on field of study
Other university programs  (diploma/certificate)	Minimum CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all 4 areas	If the study permit extension application is for the current program that you are enrolled in and the study permit application for that program was submitted prior to November 1, 2024, the field of study requirement does not apply. If you are submitting a study permit extension application after November 1, 2024, to pursue a second program, the second program must be an approved field of study to be PGWP eligible.