The Canadian government has made changes to its post-graduation work permit rules.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), in a press release, explained that the substantial changes made to the eligible fields of study for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) reflect updated labour market demands in 2025.
According to the press release, students in 119 new fields of study are now eligible for a PGWP, while 178 fields of study have been removed from eligibility.
The new updated Canada’s post-graduation work permit list now includes a total of 920 approved programs.
• Healthcare: Veterinary medicine, dentistry, dental sciences
• Education: French and biology teacher education, chemistry and drama education
• Skilled Trades: Cabinetmaking, construction management, CNC machining
• STEM & Architecture: Landscape design, advanced architectural design.
In contrast, officials removed programs related to solar energy, drywall installation, marine resource management, and environmental studies due to reduced demand in those sectors.
According to IRCC, these removals reflect the fact that “the occupations they are linked to are no longer experiencing labour shortages.”
A breakdown of the press release also revealed that this change applies to international students who are enrolled in non-degree programs (programs that do not lead to a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree); and applied for their study permit on or after 1 November 2024.
For the full list of eligible fields of study organized by the Classification of Instructional Programs system, visit the official website.
