PGWP gives the liberty to international students to settle in Canada for 3 years for work purposes. The stay is also dependent on the duration of their pursued educational program.
PGWP is one of the works permits that cannot be extended or renewed and demands for graduates with an educational program completed in Canada. PGWP provides access to many other economic class immigration programs that are launched by the Canadian government.
Statistics Canada analyzed the participation of PGWP participation in the Canadian Labour market from 2008 to 2018. The income of PGWP participants has significantly increased from 10,300 in 2008 to 1,35,000 in 2018. The number raised to 13 folds. Although the rate of participation has regularly increased with an equal pace of 3 quarters of PGWP holders every year.
The annual earning has shown an increase of $14,500 in 2008 to $26,800 in 2018. These total earnings have directly led to an increase in the average input in the labor market.
The study of Statistics Canada also showed that around 3/4th of the total PGWP holders had become Canadian PR within 5 years of their tenure of getting PGWP. The reason for the high conversion rate of PGWP holders to permanent residents is because of Canadian work experience. Also, it is seen that PGWP holders have a high zeal for getting a permanent residency as compared to ones with no PGWP.
Which country do most PGWP holders belong to?
Indian and Chinese candidates constitute the maximum part of Canadian PGWP holders. In total 66% of the PGWP holders came from both countries in 2018 which was earlier 51% in 2008. Indian students under the PGWP category grew more than 4 times in the last 10 years. The PGWP holders in the Canadian province raised from 10% in 2008 to 46% percent in 2018. Whereas this share has significantly declined for Chinese students. Earlier the Chinese share was 41% in 2008 and fell to 20% in 2018. The pace of increasing students from India was relatively higher than those of China.
How does income differ for various factors?
- Country, they belong to
Iranian PGWP holders had the maximum median income in 2018. Followed by the PGWP holders from Nigeria and then Pakistan. Whereas the PGWP holders from China showed the least median income in 2018. Followed by this, PGWP holders from the U.S. and Vietnam.
The study also shows that the percentage of increase in the earnings was mostly among the PGWP candidates of the U.S., Korea, and France.
- The province they work in
It has been reported that PGWP holders working in the territories of Canada had more median earning as compared to those working in the provinces of Canada like Alberta and BC in 2018. While the PGWP holders working in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Quebec, etc. reported the least median earnings.
The increase in median earning could be seen among the PGWP holders of Labrador and Newfoundland. Further, the PGWP holders of Quebec and New Brunswick took the lead.
The least rate of increase in earnings was from the PGWP candidates working in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island.
- The sector they work in
The median earnings were highest for PGWP holders engaged in the works of extraction method of oil and gas, public administration. While on the other hand, the candidates engaged in the work of support services, accommodation and food-related services, educational industry, etc. had the least median earnings. The growth in the median earnings over a tenure of a decade was higher for the PGWP candidates working in the sectors related to accommodation services, food services, the educational industry, etc.
How did PGWP come into existence?
The PGWP was launched in 2003 and was implemented in selected Canadian provinces. In 2005, it was applied to all the Canadian provinces. In 2008, PGWP allowed working under a legit Canadian employer for immediate graduates for a maximum of 3 years. This decision was transformed to allow the study permit holders to work after the completion of their educational programs while they wait for the approval for PGWP to arrive.
The main reason for amending such changes was to promote Canada as a preferred destination among international students and to enlarge the number of permanent residents in the Canadian province.
The eligibility criteria of PGWP
To become eligible for PGWP, the applicant has to be a graduate of a program whose duration is of at least 8 months completed at Designated Learning Institutions.
For the students learning during Covid, the education should have been completed through offline mode. Such students learning between March 2020 and August 2022 via online mode can constitute this period in the favor of their eligibility.
The validity of PGWP depends on the study period as well. educational programs constituting for a minimum tenure of 24 months are eligible for a 3-year PGWP.
