Japa: Canada cuts down number of eligible courses for post-graduation work permits
The Canadian government has imposed stricter conditions on international students by limiting the number of academic programmes that qualify for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
This update was shared through a notice on the official website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, titled “Update on field of study requirement for post-graduation work permits,” and published on June 25, 2025.
According to the announcement, starting from June 25, 2025, 119 new academic fields, including those related to health, education, trades, and social services, have been added to the list of PGWP-eligible programmes, while 178 courses have been removed.
The notice explained, “To be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), international students in non-degree programs (programs other than bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees) must complete a program in an eligible field of study linked to jobs in long-term shortages, such as those being prioritized under Express Entry.’’
It also stated, “The list of eligible fields of study has been updated to reflect the 2025 Express Entry priorities, and the following changes were made: 119 new fields of study in key sectors like health care and social services, education and trades were added. 78 fields of study no longer linked to occupations in long-term labour shortages were removed.”
With this revision, Canada now has a total of 920 study fields that qualify for the post-graduation work permit programme.
The government clarified that students who submitted their study permit applications before June 25, 2025, will still be allowed to apply for the PGWP as long as their course was listed as eligible at the time of their application, even if it has since been taken off the list.
