Explore the possibilities of a new PGWP Extension in 2024 for International Students
Many students from other countries studying in Canada are hopeful about a new policy in 2024 that might extend the period they’re allowed to work after graduation (PGWP Extension). This is important for them because there are not many options for getting permanent residency (PR).
As of the second quarter of 2023, almost 2.2 million people in Canada were temporary residents, and over 1 million of them were working with permits.
The number of temporary residents in Canada has nearly doubled in just one year, increasing from about 600,000 in the second quarter of 2022 to almost 1.1 million in the same period of 2023.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller has recently acknowledged that international students need to be aware of the limited options available for obtaining permanent residency.
Typically, international students receive a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) only once after completing their studies in Canada, and there is usually no option for extending it.
During the COVID outbreak, Canada implemented a temporary policy that allowed international students with postgraduate work permits to extend their status for an additional 18 months. This policy was reintroduced in both 2022 and 2023.
The current PGWP extension policy, active in 2023, permits international students to extend their work permits for up to 18 months if their status has expired or is set to expire before December 2023.
NEED FOR PGWP EXTENSION IN 2024
To qualify for the 2023 extension policy, the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) must expire by December 2023. However, students in the same program and intake may have different expiration dates for their permits. This discrepancy has caused disagreements among students, with some feeling they are not treated fairly or given proper consideration when their PGWP expires in January 2024 or later.
Typically, international students rely on the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) category within Canada’s main permanent residency route, the Express Entry system.
The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) used to conduct specific invitation rounds for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), targeting international students with at least 1 year of skilled experience in Canada. However, since September 2021, IRCC has shifted to category-based draws, abandoning exclusive CEC rounds.
Canada is currently experiencing the highest number of temporary residents in its history, leading to intense competition and limited options for international graduates seeking permanent residency (PR). To address this, on October 27, 2023, Marc Miller announced a forthcoming review of the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) to better align it with regional and Francophone immigration goals, as well as the demands of the Canadian labor market. However, in the meantime, there is a pressing need for a new extension policy in 2024 to retain international talent already contributing to the Canadian economy.
WILL THERE BE A PGWP EXTENSION 2024 POLICY?
Currently, there is no official news or confirmation regarding the existence of another Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) extension policy for work permits expiring in 2024.
International students are optimistic that the Canadian immigration minister might reintroduce the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) extension policy, providing them with additional time to stay and work in Canada.
Typically, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) doesn’t announce such policies until the last moment or even after the expiration of the current policy. For instance, the PGWP Extension 2023 policy was announced in March 2023, three months after the previous policy ended in December 2022.
Although IRCC allowed international students whose PGWP had expired and exceeded the 90-day restoration period to benefit from the new 2023 policy.
As of now, it’s uncertain whether there will be a PGWP extension in 2024, and it’s customary for IRCC not to communicate such matters in advance.
International students whose post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) are set to expire in early 2024 should consider exploring alternative options to ensure they can continue staying in Canada.