The most consequential decision an international student in Canada makes is not the school. It is the program. Since 1 November 2024 a rule has been in force that, if you do not know about it, can leave you two years and a large amount of tuition into a course that ends without a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) — and without a PGWP, the most common route to permanent residence is much harder to reach.
This article sets out exactly who the rule applies to, who is exempt, and which number you need to check before you enrol.
What is a PGWP and why does it matter?
The Post-Graduation Work Permit lets graduates of designated Canadian learning institutions work in Canada after they finish their program. Its value is not the job itself; it is what the job produces: Canadian work experience, which is the entry ticket to the Canadian Experience Class and to most provincial economic streams.
Put plainly: without a PGWP, studying in Canada rarely leads on to permanent residence. Other routes exist — a provincial nominee stream, an employer-specific work permit, spousal sponsorship — but they are narrower and slower, and none of them is guaranteed.
The field of study rule, in force since 1 November 2024
On 1 November 2024, IRCC added a condition called the field of study requirement. Under it, some applicants must graduate from a program whose field of study appears on IRCC’s list of eligible fields.
The list is built on the six-digit CIP code (Classification of Instructional Programs, CIP Canada 2021 version) and is tied to occupations where Canada has a long-term labour shortage.
Who is exempt?
According to IRCC’s own text, if any of the following applies to you, you do not need to check the field of study list at all:
- You applied for your PGWP before 1 November 2024.
- You graduated from a PGWP-eligible flight school.
- Your credential is a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree from a university.
- You applied for your study permit before 1 November 2024.
Read the third point again, because it is the single most important line here: university degree holders — bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral — face no field of study restriction. In practice this rule targets college students.
So who should be worried?
If you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024 and you are studying at a level other than a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree — a college or polytechnic diploma or certificate, or another non-university program — your program must carry an eligible CIP code.
The language requirement, which is separate
Do not confuse the two conditions. The language requirement is set by the level of the credential:
- Bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree: CLB/NCLC 7 in all four abilities
- Other university programs: CLB/NCLC 7
- College, polytechnic and non-university programs: CLB/NCLC 5
If you applied for your PGWP before 1 November 2024, the language requirement does not apply to you.
The list is not changing during 2026
Useful for planning: IRCC has stated that no fields of study will be added to or removed from the list during 2026.
A program that qualifies today should still qualify at the end of the year. That stability gives you a window to decide with confidence — but it is not a reason to skip the check. Confirm the position on the IRCC page before you commit money to a program.
The detail that saves applications: two points in time
Your CIP code has to be on the list either when you applied for your study permit or when you apply for your PGWP.
That means if your program was eligible when you applied for the study permit and was later removed from the list, you can still rely on the earlier date. A lot of people do not know this and give up for no reason.
How do I find my program’s CIP code?
- Check your designated learning institution’s (DLI) website. Most publish the CIP code and PGWP status for every program.
- Ask the institution directly, and get the answer in writing.
- Search the Statistics Canada CIP classification catalogue and find the exact six-digit code.
A warning: program titles mislead. Two programs with almost identical names can carry different CIP codes. Read the description and the examples attached to each code, not just the title.
The general requirements everyone has to meet
- The program must be at least 8 months long (or 900 hours for Quebec programs).
- You must have been full-time in every academic session. Part-time is accepted only in your final session.
- You must apply for the PGWP within 180 days of confirmation that you completed the program.
- Your study permit must have been valid at some point during those 180 days.
Who is not eligible for a PGWP at all
Read this list before you enrol in anything:
- Anyone who has already held a PGWP (it is a once-in-a-lifetime permit)
- English or French as a second language courses
- General interest or self-improvement courses
- Non-credit programs (flight schools excepted)
- Recipients of Global Affairs Canada scholarships who are required to return home
- Anyone who completed more than 50 percent of the program online
- Study at a non-Canadian institution operating in Canada
- Study at a DLI that is not PGWP-eligible, including public-private partnership (P3) programs delivered under a curriculum licensing agreement
The last one is the cruellest trap. Some private colleges deliver a public college’s curriculum under licence. The credential is real, but the graduate does not get a PGWP.
Frequently asked questions
Do bachelor’s degree holders need their field on the list?
No. Under IRCC’s own text, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates are exempt from the field of study requirement. The rule applies mainly to college and other non-university programs.
What if my field is removed from the list after I start?
Your CIP code must have been on the list either when you applied for your study permit or when you apply for your PGWP. If it qualified on the earlier date, you can still apply.
Is the field of study list changing in 2026?
No. IRCC has said that no fields will be added or removed during 2026.
What is the minimum language score for a PGWP?
For bachelor’s degrees and above, and for other university programs, CLB or NCLC level 7 in all four abilities. For college, polytechnic and non-university programs, level 5.
How long do I have after graduating?
180 days from the date your program completion is confirmed. Your study permit must also have been valid at some point within that window.
Can I get a PGWP twice?
No. If you have already held a PGWP, you are not eligible for another one.
Three things to do before you enrol
- Get the program’s six-digit CIP code from the institution and keep it in writing.
- Ask whether the program is delivered under a curriculum licensing agreement (P3).
- If your program is below bachelor’s level, check the field of study on the official list before you pay tuition.
Five minutes of checking before enrolment has no substitute. If you are not certain that the program you have chosen leads to a PGWP, review it with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) before you pay the tuition. Nobody can guarantee a permit. IRCC decides each application on its own facts, and the point of the check is to avoid spending two years on a program that cannot produce the outcome you are studying for.
Sources
- Post-Graduation Work Permit: who can apply — Government of Canada website
- Field of study requirement and the list of eligible CIP codes — Government of Canada website
- CIP Canada 2021 classification — Statistics Canada
Related: alongside the field of study rule, this change also matters for students: the co-op work permit is being removed
Read more
- 603,730 post-graduation work permits: which fields won and which lost
- The PGWP refusal rate in 2025: a number that has to be read properly
