Canada is cutting down on eligibility for student work permits. Here’s what to know

A student walks on the Conestoga College campus in Kitchener, Ont., Saturday, April 27, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

The federal government has modified the eligibility requirements for work permits linked to Canada’s international student program, according to a new announcement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Students in non-degree programs for 178 fields of study will no longer be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which allows post-secondary students to remain in Canada and seek on-the-job experience.

A further 119 fields have now been added to the list of eligible majors, including those in the health care, social services, education and trades sectors. Programs cut from eligibility, IRCC says, include those “no longer linked to occupations in long-term labour shortages.”

Following the change, a total of 920 fields of study are included in the PGWP eligibility list.

Field-specific requirements only apply to international students in non-degree programs who applied for study permits on or after Nov. 1, 2024, meaning those graduating from bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral programs are not subject to the change.

Cuts to the eligibility list also only apply to those who filed for study permits on or after June 25, 2025. Those who applied before that date will remain eligible, even if their field of study is one of those removed from the list.

You can learn more about which fields of study are eligible for non-degree PGWPs at the IRCC’s website.