Canada removes PGWP study limits for college graduates. Students will no longer have to meet field of study requirements to be eligible for the program.
Prior to this change, graduates from university bachelor’s programs were exempt from field of study requirements, but graduates of college bachelor’s programs were not.
For international students graduates of colleges who applied for their initial study permits after November 1, 2024, new field of study requirements came into effect last year. Under these field of study requirements, college graduates must have graduated from a program linked to a labor market shortage in order to be eligible for a PGWP.
As of March 2025, graduates from college bachelor’s programs no longer need to meet this field of study requirement.
Graduates of any other college, polytechnic, or non-university program are still subject to field of study requirements, as are graduates from university programs that are not bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral programs.
All PGWP applicants applying after November 1, 2024, remain subject to the new language proficiency requirements.
What Is Considered A Bachelor’s Degree In Canada?
Canada removes PGWP study limits for college graduates. Canadian post-secondary education institutions offer bachelor’s degrees in Canada at the undergraduate level. These degrees typically take 3-4 years to earn.
Educational institutions need to meet provincial standards and definitions to classify their programs at different education levels.
When assessing your eligibility for a PGWP, IRCC officers will check to see what kind of degree you graduated with and what associated eligibility criteria you need to meet as a result. The date of your initial study permit application will also be considered in this regard.
What Language Proficiency Requirements Do New Graduates Have To Meet To Be PGWP – Eligible?
All new graduates who applied for their PGWP after November 1, 2024, must meet new language proficiency requirements to be eligible for this work permit.
The following table summarizes these requirements for different levels of study in Canada:
| Level Of Study | Language Proficiency Requirements |
| Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, or Doctoral Degree | Must prove a level 7 language proficiency according to either the:
– Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) for English or – Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) for French |
| Any Other University Program | Must prove a level 7 language proficiency according to either the:
– CLB for English or – NCLC for French |
| Any Other College, Polytechnic, or Non-University Program | Must prove a level 5 language proficiency according to either the:
– CLB for English or – NCLC for French |
In addition to the above, students who graduated from any other university program or any other college, polytechnic, or non-university program must meet both language and field of study requirements to be eligible for the PGWP.
Graduates of flight schools and those who applied for their PGWP before November 1, 2024, remain exempt from all languages and fields of study eligibility and only need to meet basic eligibility criteria, and only need to meet basic eligibility for a PGWP.
Who Remains Ineligible For A PGWP?
Canada removes PGWP study limits for college graduates. IRCC has maintained PGWP-ineligibility for the following graduates. Note that those who meet all other eligibility criteria might still be ineligible for a PGWP if they meet any of the below conditions:
- They already obtained a PGWP
- They studied English/ French as a second language
- They took general interest or self-improvement courses
- They obtained funding/ scholarship from Global Affairs Canada that requires them to return to their home country after graduating
- They completed around 50% of their study program through distance learning (i.e. online courses) and are not covered in COVID-19 distance learning measures
- They completed a study program at a non-Canadian institution situated in Canada
- They completed a program that is not eligible for the PGWP (including programs offered under a curriculum-licensing agreement)
Why Did IRCC Implement The Field Of Study Requirements For Some Graduates?
IRCC first implemented the field of study requirements for some new graduates in late 2024.
The field of study requirement works in conjunction with several other policies that the IRCC enacted in 2024 to further limit the number of newcomers the country will accept in response to domestic housing stock and affordability pressures. To the same end, these policies further work to reduce the population of temporary residents (work and study permit holders) in Canada.
In addition to reducing the temporary resident population, the introduction of the PGWP field of study requirements also aligns PGWP issuance with critical sectors of the Canadian economy that require trained workers. The critical sectors identified by IRCC are divided into six broad categories:
- Healthcare
- Education
- Trade
- Transport
- STEM
- Agriculture & Agri-Food
Further to this point, these educational categories mirror the occupational categories that IRCC employs for category-based selections of Express Entry applicants.
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