Canada Offers Temporary Work Permit to PGWP Holders

Content Curator

Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on Friday, April 22, 2022 introduced a new policy for International Graduates. The policy will enable foreign graduates to extend their stay in Canada.Under this policy, international students living in Canada with a Post Graduation Work Permit can apply for a open work permit for a period of upto 18 months.

As per data published by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Canada) around 95,000 PGWPs will become invalid in 2022. This policy will benefit approximately 50,000 individuals.

Read: Canada to Speed up Spousal Sponsorship Application Processing

The policy was introduced as part of an ongoing effort to ensure that PGWP holders in Canada have better chances of gaining permanent residency status and/or stay and work in the country for a longer period.

Express Entry Draws for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Candidates have been suspended since September. As a result, PGWP holders whose permits have become invalid are being forced to reapply or quit their jobs and leave the country.

Check: Job Offers Unnecessary to get Canadian Work Permit for International Students

Along with this policy, other measures have also been introduced for economic class immigrants. These includes measures like Federal Skilled Worker Program and Express Entry Draws draws for Skilled Workers, such as CEC. These programs are scheduled to resume in July of this year.

IRCC has also sped up application processing in recent months. The agency has processed around 100,000 work permits in the first half of 2022 which is almost double the total number of applications processed during the same period, last year.

Unemployment Rate of Canadian Immigrants is at Record Low