Despite studying online completely

Wow! Great news, isn’t it? International students in Canada now have a reason to rejoice. The eligibility requirements for the Post graduation Work Permit (PGWP) for international students have been loosened to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to international students. This decision not only serves as a relief to International students pursuing their post-secondary program online but also facilitates them with an opportunity of realizing their dreams with a three-year open work permit, post their graduation.

Learn more about this progressive policy:

Canada’s policy comes with a progressive outline helping the international students during these pandemic times.  Earlier, online learning could not attract PGWP, but today international students can avail the benefits of this new policy and work in Canada after graduation.This policy aims at providing a platformof opportunities to international students to build and excel in their respective careers. Another objective of this policyis to ensure that these talented and skilled students contribute to the social and economic sectors of the Canadian economy.

“Our message to the international students and graduates is simple, we don’t just want you to study here, we want you to stay here” said the Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino in a media release. The recent announcement of renewing PGWP for up to 18 months receives a strong backing from this new measure, thus erasing the earlier rule of fixed duration of PGWP with no extensions/renewals.

International students enrolled in the PGWP eligible program that commence in the spring of 2020 and fall of 2021 and those who are in the study programs already in progress in March 2020 (first lockdown of Canada) are eligible. At the same time, all these international students are required to fulfil the eligibility criteria for PGWP along with an approved study permit.

It is quite astonishing to know that the overall contribution of the international students to the Canadian economy was approximately $21 billion in 2019. At the same time, through tuitions and spending they contributed for 170,000 jobs. 2019 also witnessed more than 58,000 graduates realize their dream of becoming permanent residents of Canada.

The outbreak of the pandemic resulted in a gradual decline in Canadian immigration. Neither the service sector nor the travel sector was spared by the pandemic. Travel restrictions worsened the scenario as international students found it difficult to travel to Canada. Currently, only those students can travel to Canada who learns in a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) with an approved COVID-19 readiness plan. The Canadian economy is facing various hardships due to the aging population and the shortage of skilled and talented pool of workers. The Canadian government is on the lookout for hiring highly skilled and talented individuals to serve and support the Canadian economy, and only the student population can serve this purpose seamlessly during this pandemic period. This student population is inclusive of international student graduates too.

PGWP encourages and supports permanent immigration of Internationalstudent graduates:

International student graduates who have completed their graduation from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution are allowed to work for Canadian employers throughout Canada by PGWP for a period of approximately three years.

The international work experience and knowledge gained by international student graduates with the help of PGWP will also help them in their application process for permanent residence in the future. These students may apply through various immigration pathways like Express entry, Provincial Nominee Program, Quebec Experience Program with the help of highly valued work experience gained by them with the help of PGWP.

As the English proverb goes, “Every dark cloud has a silver lining,” so does this progressive policy. The COVID -19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across the globe pushing all the global economies in the abyss of despair and fear. During these testing times, this policy has emerged as a ray of hope, optimism and career development for the international student population. Also, the academic journey of students will not face a hindrance as they can continue studying online and later be eligible to gain work experience in Canada through PGWP. Moreover, this will aid in creating a futuristic pathway for the talented minds who were awaiting good opportunities during these pandemic times. Let us celebrate this fantastic news.