But students in non-degree programs for 178 fields of study no longer eligible
The federal government has revised the eligibility requirements for international students under the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) to align with the 2025 Express Entry priorities.
Effective June 25, 119 new fields of study in key sectors such as health care and social services, education, and trades have been added.
Meanwhile, 178 fields of study “no longer linked to occupations in long-term labour shortages” were removed, according to the government.
These updates bring the total number of fields of study eligible for a PGWP to 920.
In September 2024, the federal government announced it is reducing its intake cap on international student study permits for the 2025 and 2026.
Also in 2024, the federal government stated that to qualify for a PGWP, international students in non-degree programs (programs other than bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees) must complete a program in an eligible field of study linked to occupations in long-term shortage areas—such as those being prioritized under Express Entry.
Despite these updates, Ottawa’s policy “was still incongruent with the very real labour market needs that some regions are facing,” said Larissa Bezo, president of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), in a report by The PIE News.
“The removal of some construction-related fields is perplexing given Canada’s current focus on expediting the building of new homes,” Bezo added.
She also described as “surprising” the removal of agri-food fields, noting the importance of food security and the pressing needs of Canada’s agriculture sector. She further called the omission of data scientists “counterintuitive,” considering their essential contributions to innovation and economic growth.
To qualify for a PGWP, international students must graduate from a program listed under the currently eligible Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes when they submit their study permit application or PGWP application, according to the federal government.
The field of study categories under the PGWP include:
The full list of eligible fields of study organized by the CIP system is available here.
Even with these changes, students who applied for a study permit before June 25, 2025, will still be eligible for a PGWP—provided their field of study was on the eligibility list at the time of their application, even if it has since been removed.
Welcoming highly skilled immigrants should be the federal government’s prime focus in its immigration policy, according to two experts. The federal government should reform its immigration system and prioritize immigrants with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) qualifications and strong English or French language skills to help increase living standards for Canadians, two experts from Fraser Institute say in an essay.
