The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program allows students who have graduated from a designated learning institution to gain valuable Canadian work experience. In order to be eligible, students must have studied full-time in Canada and must have graduated from a program that was at least 8 months long.
The recent changes brought in by the Quebec government mean that graduates of subsidized or public colleges will be eligible for PGWP. This is because the Quebec government has decided to no longer designate unsubsidized private colleges as DLIs. The only programs that are now designated are university programs and programs offered by Quebec’s public colleges and subsidized institutions.
To preserve the reputation of Quebec’s international student program, the federal government has introduced a measure to safeguard its integrity.
The impact of these changes
These changes will have a significant impact on international students in Montreal. For many students, the PGWP is an important factor in their decision to study in Canada. Without the possibility of obtaining a work permit after graduation, many students may choose to study at schools in other provinces where they will still be eligible for the PGWP.
These changes will also impact immigrants who are already residing in Montreal and who were planning on attending college in order to obtain their post-secondary education. Without the ability to obtain a work permit after graduation, these individuals may be forced to leave the province in order to find employment.
List of DLIs that are no longer eligible for PGWP in Montreal
What now?
If you are an international student who has already graduated from a college in Montreal, you may still be eligible for the PGWP if you applied for and received your degree before September 1, 2023. If you start your program of study before August 31, 2023, to be eligible for a PGWP, your program must be 8 months or 900 hours or longer.
The recent changes to the PGWP mean that from September 1, 2023, unsubsidized private colleges will no longer offer Post Graduation Work Permit Programs. This is because the Quebec government has decided to no longer designate those colleges as designated learning institutions. The only institutions that are now designated as DLIs are public colleges and subsidized private learning institutions. These changes will have a significant impact on international students in Montreal. For many students, the PGWP is an important factor in their decision to study in Canada. Without the possibility of obtaining a work permit after graduation, many students may choose to study at schools in other provinces where they will still be eligible for the PGWP.
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