Canada Work Permit: Trudeau government increased tension! Rules for post study work permit changed

Canada Work Permit: Canada is gradually reducing the concessions given to foreign students. First, the number of study permits given to foreign students every year has been reduced and now changes have been made in the post study work permit. Canada’s Immigration Minister Mark Miller has said that the limit on the number of foreign students will remain. Also, new measures have been introduced to restrict temporary residents from coming to Canada and maintain the integrity of the immigration system. Indian students are going to be greatly affected due to the changes taking place in Canada. The biggest impact is regarding the study permit, because in the last few years a large number of Indians have gone to Canada to study. The biggest change in the changes made here is regarding the ‘Post-Graduate Work Program’ (PGWP) and spouse work eligibility. PGWP program is run for jobs for students doing post graduation in Canada. Indian students may get disillusioned due to these changes.

What has changed regarding PGWP?

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is a type of work permit granted to foreign students to work in Canada after graduation. The duration of PGWP depends on the duration of the course completed in Canada and can range from 8 months to 3 years. Mark Miller said that for those applying for PGWP after November 1, the permit will be determined based on their studies.

“Students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs will be able to work under the PGWP for up to three years,” Miller said, adding that such students are better able to transfer their knowledge and skills and adapt to changing economic conditions. Foreign students graduating from college certificate or diploma programs will no longer be eligible for the PGWP unless their work is related to labor market sectors.

Not only this, but PGWP will also require students to demonstrate proficiency in both French and English. University graduates applying for PGWP on or after November 1, 2024 will need to have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 and college graduates will need CLB 5. Canadian Minister Miller said this is desperately needed. he/she said this will result in a reduction of 1,75,000 PGWPs over a period of three years.

Changes in the work permit given to spouses

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government had stopped issuing work permits to spouses of foreign students from April 2024. Work permits are being given only to the spouses of students pursuing a master’s degree, doctoral or any other professional degree program. However, at that time there was no condition on granting work permit to spouses based on the duration of the course. But now spouses will be given work permit only if the foreign student’s master’s course studies are going to last at least 16 months.