In order to better accommodate international students, Canada has once again made changes to their Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) requirements.
While Canada already allowed online study to be part of the eligibility criteria earlier this year, it was initially only for students who already received their study permit from the country. However, a recent announcement stated that online coursework prior to obtaining the study permit can now count towards a PGWP.
International students whose programs began in 2020 and enrolled in online classes even without a study permit can now count this time as part of the requirement for PGWP. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has ruled that online study until December 31, 2020 is now part of the eligibility criteria. However, students are still required to complete half their program in Canada, and must apply for a study permit before September 15, 2020.
IRCC has continued to make changes to better accommodate international students as they face a number of challenges during the pandemic. While the PGWP initially only recognized classes attended in person, this is no longer possible as the pandemic has forced many Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) to switch to online courses, hence the changes made.
Among other measures incorporated to better accommodate international students is the new two-step study permit system, which allows international students to begin studying despite submitting incomplete applications. A full study permit may be issued after all documents have been submitted and the application is approved.
The PGWP grants international students the opportunity to work in Canada for up to three years after they have graduated from their study program.
Those who have obtained the PGWP may use their time to accumulate Canadian experience to count towards an application for permanent residency, and eventually immigration. Canada’s immigrants mainly go through economic-class migration, which values Canadian work and study experience in Express Entry applications.
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