Maple News reports that the Government of Canada has introduced major updates to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility criteria, aligning permitted programs with evolving labour market needs for 2025 and beyond.
Effective June 25, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has revised the list of educational programs that qualify for a PGWP. These changes particularly target non-degree postsecondary programs—those not leading to a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree.
Under the new policy, 119 additional fields of study have been added to the PGWP-eligible list, while 178 programs have been removed. This adjustment is designed to strengthen Canada’s workforce by prioritizing fields with consistent labour shortages.
Eligible new programs are concentrated in high-demand sectors, including healthcare and social assistance, education, and skilled trades. These changes reflect Canada’s strategic emphasis on filling key positions in essential industries and addressing ongoing economic and demographic gaps.
However, programs that lead to occupations no longer considered in-demand have been delisted, signaling a shift toward a more targeted approach to international student immigration and work authorization.
This update only applies to international students enrolled in non-degree programs who apply for a study permit on or after November 1, 2024. Those who submitted their study permit applications before June 25, 2025, remain eligible under previous rules—provided their program was PGWP-eligible at the time of application.
IRCC now recognizes a total of 920 educational programs as PGWP-eligible. These changes emphasize Canada’s focus on integrating international graduates into its economy in ways that directly support national employment goals.
For prospective international students, this policy revision underscores the importance of carefully selecting study programs based on long-term immigration and career planning.
As Canada continues to recalibrate immigration pathways to align with labour demands, these updates mark a significant step in connecting education to workforce strategy.