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International Students are Still Eligible for PGWP with Online Courses, Canada

International students preparing to begin their academic courses online in Canada this summer will not get penalized, thanks to IRCC.

Due to the advent of COVID-19 and the consequential lockdown in several countries, the Canadian international students will have to commence classes online. But there will be no harsh consequences with respect to their employment opportunities in Canada.

 Before the pandemic, students were getting a refusal of work permit. This is if they studied online instead of getting enrolled in a full-time course continuously for at least eight months.

Now, students will face no such predicament for online attendance and will get eligible to apply for a PGWP (Post Graduation Work Permit). 

Read More: How is COVID-19 Affecting International Students in Canada?

Why Is PGWP Important? 

Postgraduate work permit (PGWP) is an excellent program for those foreign students who would like to acquire valuable Canadian work experience after their graduation. Also, this program is one of the bridging mechanisms for international students to transition from temporary resident status to permanent residency.

If international students have PGWP, they will get allowed to work in Canada for up to three years. It paves the way for the student to attain Canadian work experience. For anyone seeking permanent residence in Canada, sufficient work experience is essential as economic class immigration programs assign high value to it.

A 2015 research study reveals that individuals acquiring work experience before gaining citizenship were able to acclimatize to the job market. Candidates with Canadian work experience are rewarded with extra points by more than 80 per cent of economic-class immigration programs, helping their immigration plans.

Therefore, the PGWP is crucial for students who would want to consider permanent residence after study. 

How Is This New Policy Beneficial To International Students?

The entire world has been compelled to adopt the remote work culture, and academia is no exception. Teachers across the globe are taking classes through teleconferencing apps like Discord and Zoom.

Students starting their classes soon in Canadian universities will be able to take the same approach to education.

Those who will benefit from this step are:

1. Students have a study permit already.

2. Those who had received an acceptance letter for a course in a Canadian university commencing in May or June 2020.

Therefore, the travel ban in Canada, which is supposed to continue until June 30, will not harm these students’ future. This is because their class attendance and education is no longer dependent on their physical presence in Canada.

The Canadian Bureau for International Education conducted a thorough survey. It concluded that 60 percent of Canada’s international students wish to stay back in Canada for job opportunities and subsequent permanent residence.

A PGWP is meant to make this process smoother by inculcating them into the Canadian work atmosphere, thereby grooming them for citizenship.

This excellent step that has been decided by Canada’s immigration department IRCC is perhaps a forward march towards novel approaches to pedagogy. Moreover, the introduction and implementation of the PGWP exhibits Canada’s empathy for students worldwide. 

Their academic plans were about to be severely disrupted due to the worldwide lock down. It shows that Canada acknowledges the urgency of the pandemic. Canada is willing to modify rules in order to make the student experience as seamless as possible in the face of a global crisis. 

Who’s Eligible for PGWP?

  • Graduated from a full-time academic, vocational or professional program at VIU, this is longer than eight months.
  • Received written confirmation that the student has completed the program.
  • Received a graduation letter (Bldg.255) and official transcript (Bldg.200 or order online from student account).
  • A valid study permit and have complied with its conditions (or have changed status to the visitor or restored student status if study permit expired) or left Canada after study permit expiry.
  • Continuously studied full time (minimum nine credits per semester) except for the final semester where part-time studies are allowed.
  • A student must cease any type of work upon completion of the program of study. If applied for PGWP within 90 days on a valid study permit can start working full time from the date of application.
  • A student may apply up to 180 days after program completion, but applying later than 90 days may lead to disadvantages. Please consult with Immigration Advisor.

How to Apply for PGWP?

International students graduating from any recognized university can apply inside or outside Canada within 180 of program completion.

  • Apply online (application processing time is shorter, and it is a one-step process)
  • Paper (application processing time is longer, and application fee must be paid online)

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Amit Kumar

FreeEducator.com blog is managed by Amit Kumar. He and his team come from the Oxford, Stanford and Harvard. At FreeEducator, we strive to create the best admission platform so that international students can go to the best universities - regardless of financial circumstances. By applying with us, international students get unlimited support and unbiased advice to secure the best college offers overseas.

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