 "Canada’s federal government has asked provincial governments to “align PGWP eligibility with labour market needs while reducing the overall volume of PGWP holders.” Representational image")
Canada could be changing its Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) – and Indian students may be affected.
The programme allows students who graduate to remain in the country to work.
But what do we know about the programme? What is the government doing? And how will Indian students be impacted?
Let’s take a closer look:
What is it?
The programme lets students who graduate from certain institutions remain in Canada to work – albeit temporarily.
According to the Government of Canada website, students who graduate from a master’s degree programme of less than two years can apply for a PGWP.
They are eligible for a three-year permit.
The duration of the PGWP depends on the level and duration of your study programme or the expiry date of your passport – whichever comes first.
The student must fulfil certain criteria.
According to The Times of India, the student must have enrolled full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI).
The student must be at least 18 years of age.
The programme that he or she enrolled in must be at least eight months.
Spouses and common-law partners of PGWP holders may also apply for the permit.
Its validity is as long as the partner’s work authorisation period.
The time spent studying online at a DLI from outside Canada between March 2020 and 31 August, 2022, is considered as part of the PGWP.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsTime spent studying outside of Canada after 31 December, 2023, and time spent studying before applying for a permit do not count towards the PGWP, as per the newspaper.
According to the Canada government website, if the passport expires before the PGWP:
It will issue a PGWP valid only till the passport expires
It will tell you if the passport needs to be extended
What is the Canada government doing?
According to Indian Express, Canada’s federal government has asked provincial governments to “align PGWP eligibility with labour market needs while reducing the overall volume of PGWP holders.”
The newspaper quoted from an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) briefing paper stating that “work is…underway to re-align the [PGWP] program to better meet targeted labour market needs and immigration objectives.”
In essence, the government wants to restrict the scheme to only those graduates who will work in fields facing labour shortages.
The Canadian government basically wants to tamp down on legal immigration.
The paper noted that 40 per cent of study permit holders were from India, 10 per cent from China and five per cent from the Philippines.
“The PGWP increased by 214% in 2023 compared to 2018,” the paper noted.
According to CIC News, “advice on this issue will be provided by the Minister in spring 2024, with the goal of implementing changes in January 2025.”
Will Indian students be impacted?
Yes, if it goes through.
Experts told the newspaper candidates would do well to choose skill-based, specialised programs rather than general courses.
This would help them get the PGWP as well as a visa.
Sumit Jain, a Jalandhar-based consultant, said students should specialise in areas such as accountancy or culinary arts.
He also recommended sciences, banking, nursing, engineering, IT, biosciences, marketing and management, human resources, artificial intelligence, business intelligence, cloud architecture, security analysis, and pharmacy as good subjects to choose.
“Stay updated on thriving industries, and pursue formal education and training in desired fields to maximize chances of obtaining PGWP and eventual Permanent Residency (PR) in Canada,” Gurpreet Singh of I-Can consultancy, said.
“It is crucial to align course selection with job demand, and to stay informed about potential changes to immigration policies,” he added.
Some are unhappy with the move.
The ICEF Monitor on their website said such a move “would rise to a new level of recklessness for policy makers in Canada.”
“In a year of challenging market signals, with considerable confusion and uncertainty already introduced for students and their families, any PGWP changes introduced with immediate effect would be extremely damaging to Canada’s brand as an international study destination. This would not only have a profound impact on foreign enrolment in Canada, but would also undermine Canada’s position on the global stage, and its ability to attract the skills and talents of the world’s students,” the website stated.
The website warned such a move risks undermining one of the country’s top export sectors, and placing the industry in a position from which it could take “years to recover.”
With inputs from agencies