Canada Global (Web News) Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently broadened the range of study programs eligible for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs).
Effective December 17, 2024, the updated list of PGWP-eligible fields now includes specific programs in early childhood education and developmental service work. Prior to this update, as of October 4, 2024, IRCC had outlined field requirements across five primary categories, which align with the occupation-based Express Entry categories:
- Agriculture and agri-food
- Healthcare
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- Trade
- Transport
The recent revision introduces a new category: Education.
Programs eligible for PGWPs are organized and categorized according to the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), Canada’s system for classifying educational programs.
The table below lists all the new programs now eligible for a PGWP under the education field of study, along with the corresponding CIP codes:
| CIP 2021 Title | CIP 2021 Code |
|---|---|
| Developmental services worker | 19.0710 |
| Montessori teacher education | 13.1207 |
| Waldorf/Steiner teacher education | 13.1208 |
| Early childhood education and teaching | 13.1210 |
| Teaching assistants/aide, general | 13.1501 |
| Child development | 19.0706 |
| Child care and support services management | 19.0708 |
| Child care provider/assistant | 19.0709 |
| Early childhood and family studies | 19.0711 |
In September 2024, IRCC announced that international students must graduate from programs linked to occupations experiencing long-term labor shortages in order to qualify for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs).
This requirement does not apply to graduates with university bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees but is relevant to those completing college programs or vocational programs at universities. Students who applied for study permits before November 1, 2024, are not subject to this field of study requirement.
