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The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning institutions to get an open work permit and the freedom to work for any employer, anywhere in Canada. The program makes Canada one of the most sought-after countries for international students.

Current and prospective students in some private institutions of Canada’s Quebec will soon be ineligible for the country’s much-coveted post-graduation work permit.

The Canadian federal government announced that, starting September 1, 2023, international students studying at unsubsidised private institutions in Quebec will no longer be eligible for post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

The Quebec government had reached out to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to only allow graduates from public and subsidised private institutions apply for the PGWP.

“Making the change that Quebec requested to post-graduation work permit eligibility will improve the integrity of the programme, bring Quebec’s private institutions further in line with those of other provinces and protect our well-deserved reputation as a destination of choice for international students,” Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said.

Unsubsidized private learning institutions have been attracting a large number of international students since 2018. For the period of 2016–2018, approximately 4,900 international students received a study permit for one of these institutions.

During 2019–2021, the number jumped to 11,500.

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning institutions to get an open work permit and the freedom to work for any employer, anywhere in Canada.

The program makes Canada one of the most sought-after countries for international pupils.

A PGWP is valid for anywhere between 8 months to 3 years. The actual length depends on the length of your program at a Canadian DLI. IRCC provides the following guidelines on its website:

• If your program is less than 8 months long, you will not be eligible for a PGWP.
• For programs between 8 months and 2 years: The PGWP will be valid for the same length of your study program (e.g., a 10-month program will result in a 10-month PGWP)
• For programs of 2 years or more: PGWP will be valid for 3 years
• For more than one program: You may be able to combine your Canadian educational programs to get a PGWP as long as the programs are DLI eligible and each over 8 months in duration. The total length of the PGWP will correspond to the durations above.

Indians have remained the top benefactors of PR permits as well as student visas. There are over 622,000 foreign students in Canada, with Indians numbering 217,410 as of December 31, 2021.