Canada Includes Remote Learning for Post-Graduation Work Permit

As of September 1st, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced an important update to its temporary public policy. With this modification, remote learning is now included in the program’s eligibility criteria for the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

Here’s the main thing: If you study most of your courses outside Canada and it’s not more than half until December 31, 2023, you can still apply for Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

Before the pandemic, international students had to finish over half of their courses in Canada. If they spent more than half of their study time online from outside Canada, it didn’t count toward getting the PGWP permit.

Changes to Post-Graduation Work Permit Eligibility During the Pandemic

Because of the pandemic and travel restrictions, IRCC made changes. They allowed students to study online, even if they couldn’t travel. This applied to two groups:

1. Students who were already in PGWP-eligible programs in March 2020.
2. Students who began PGWP-eligible programs between March 2020 and August 31, 2022.

If you commenced your studies outside Canada before August 31, 2022, you can count the entire duration of your remote learning towards your eligibility for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). This means all the time you spend studying online will be considered when applying for the PGWP.

However, for those who started their studies abroad between September 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, only fifty percent of the time spent in remote learning can be counted toward PGWP eligibility. So, if you completed one year of online studies during this period, only six months would be recognized when applying for the PGWP.

It’s important to note that after September 1, 2023, these rules and the extension will no longer apply to students studying abroad, regardless of when they began their studies. This means that for students commencing their programs outside Canada after this date, the time spent in remote learning won’t contribute to PGWP eligibility under this special provision.

Impact of the IRCC’s Update on Program Stacking

Until December 31, 2023, certain eligible students who have completed or are pursuing two qualifying study programs, either ongoing in March 2020 or starting between March 2020 and August 31, 2022, have a unique opportunity. They may have the option to:

1. Finish 100% of both study programs while being located outside of Canada, but there are conditions. Both programs must have either been in progress in March 2020 or initiated between March 2020 and August 31, 2022.
2. Combine the durations of these two study programs when they apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) in the future.

It’s important to understand that, as per the current PGWP rules, each of these study programs must have a minimum length of 8 months and should be completed within 2 years at a recognized designated learning institution (DLI). This means that both programs need to meet these specific criteria to be considered for the combined duration when applying for a PGWP.

For students who started their second program on or after September 1, 2022, there’s a different rule. They must complete at least fifty percent of their second program in Canada, regardless of whether their first program was ongoing in March 2020 or began between March 2020 and August 31, 2022.

This means that these students are not eligible for the special facilitation measure mentioned earlier, and they need to fulfill the fifty percent in-person requirement for their second program in Canada.

Is Immediate Full-Time Work Eligibility Possible After Applying for a Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)?

International students who apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) before their study permit expires can work full-time without needing a separate work permit while they wait for a decision on their PGWP application. However, to qualify for this, they must satisfy all of the following conditions:

1. Their study permit was still valid when they applied for the PGWP.
2. They have successfully finished a study program that qualifies for the PGWP.
3. They meet the off-campus employment requirements specified on their study permit.
4. They have not exceeded the maximum number of hours allowed by their study permit for employment.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Duration

Your eligibility for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) depends on the duration of your study program:

1. If your study program was more than 8 months but less than 2 years in length, you may be eligible for a PGWP lasting 9 months.
2. If your program was 2 years or more in duration, you could be eligible for a PGWP lasting 3 years.

Additionally, if you complete two separate study programs, you could be eligible for a PGWP equivalent to the length of each program. This means you can potentially combine the durations of both programs to determine the length of your work permit.

Can I Get More Than 1 Post Graduation Work Permit?

You cannot obtain multiple Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs). To put it simply, you can only apply for a PGWP once during your lifetime.

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