It may now be easier for students who come to Canada for a master’s or Ph.D. program to obtain permanent residence (PR).
On February 15, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) enacted a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) policy that was first announced on January 22 as one of many changes coming to Canada’s international student system.
This policy now means that international student graduates of master’s degree programs at Canadian Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) – the only post-secondary institutions authorized by IRCC to accept international students – are eligible for a three-year PGWP. This is true even for students studying in master’s programs that are two years or less in length.
How does this make it easier to obtain PR in Canada?
The value of a PGWP lies in that it allows international student graduates to work in Canada once they complete a PGWP-eligible program at a DLI.
This Canadian work experience is valuable to those who later intend to pursue PR because many of Canada’s immigration pathways either require or reward such experience.
