On January 22, 2024, IRCC confirmed that international students completing college programs under a public-private curriculum licensing arrangement would no longer qualify for a post-graduation work permit. This adjustment will be effective from May 15, 2024, rather than the initially announced date of September 1, 2024. Consequently, international students enrolling in such programs from May 15, 2024, onward will not be eligible for a post-graduation work permit upon completion.
However, this alteration in post-graduation work permit criteria doesn’t hinder graduates from applying for other types of work permits after completing their studies. For instance, graduates may seek a work permit backed by an employer’s approved labor market impact assessment for occupations experiencing shortages in Canada.
The list of designated learning institutions indicates whether graduates from an institution are eligible for a post-graduation work permit and can be accessed on IRCC website – Designated learning institutions list. IRCC will actively collaborate with provinces and territories to identify programs affected by this clarification and update the list accordingly as further information is gathered from them.