Numerous global students are calling on the Canadian federal government to instantly halt the bulk denial of post-graduation work license applications for students in Alberta, which they state have actually been wrongfully refused.
Roughly 500 global graduates from continuing education courses at Portage College have held rallies throughout Alberta in current weeks demanding responses regarding why their permits were denied.
The students– a few of whom staged a cravings strike in Calgary– have actually stated they were guaranteed PGWP eligibility when they started their non-credit courses in 2024, offered they satisfied the essential requirements.
However hundreds have actually seen their authorizations refused, following an upgrade from IRCC stating that all non-credit courses, besides flight school, are not PGWP eligible.
While the upgrade came on June 24, IRCC said the assistance marked an explanation of existing requirements and that the trainees would not be grandfathered under previous rules.
“It has always held true that non-credit are not entitled to these PGWP, so we’ve not altered any eligibility for that,” stated Lena Diab, minister of migration, refugees and citizenship, at an interview on July 28.
But the impacted students have actually introduced a petition, backed by controlled Canadian immigration expert (RCIC) Dimple Verma, to stop the bulk refusals and “reverse the unpublished policy modification silently contributed to the IRCC website”.
In spite of IRCC keeping it has actually not altered eligibility requirements, the trainees argue the “non-credit” guideline is a web page edit, not a regulation, and that they got their PGWP within the required window, under the guidelines that existed at the time of enrolment.
What this situation reveals is a failure of coordination in between provincial and federal governments
Matthew McDonald, RCIC
According to Portage University student union, some 1,500 graduates have been impacted across Canada, though The PIE News is not familiar with affected individuals beyond Alberta at this time.
Elsewhere, specialists have stated IRCC’s June 2026 upgrade seemed clarifying in writing what was formerly presumed to be self-evident, though reviews of previous PGWP standards reveal no explicit language excluding “non-credit programs”.
“The PGWP program guidelines routinely describe credits in a manner that assumes readers understand that a PGWP-eligible program involves grades, courses, and scholastic credits that result in a specific credential,” Matthew McDonald RCIC informed The PIE.He called the occurrence a “failure of government communication” regarding presumptions that had not been articulated clearly in the program guidelines, and said applicants should not be punished.
Furthermore, he stated he couldn’t discover evidence of Portage College supplying global student immigration recommending to its students, which, he stated “must be an obligatory requirement for any DLI that has the privilege of accepting global trainees”.
“The truth that it is not compulsory is a failure of policy– and decision-making at both the federal and provincial levels. This failure is what has brought us here today,” specified McDonald.
In Canada, sector stakeholders have long called for much better communication between provincial and federal governments, with education under the jurisdiction of the ten provinces and territories, running distinct systems.
Amid a rough duration of policy changes affecting Canada’s International Student Program, the government upgraded the list of PGWP-eligible programs in June last year, with the guidelines using to global trainees who obtained a study permit on or after November 1, 2024.
The federal government has stated changes are required to minimize Canada’s worldwide trainee body and return it to “sustainable” levels, but critics highlight prevalent confusion and uncertainty caused by duplicated policy tweaks.
IRCC representative Briannah Dale stated the firm worked carefully with provinces and territories “to help make sure institutions receive clear and consistent information about PGWP eligibility requirements”.
She discussed the June 2026 explanation was performed in action to stakeholder feedback, adding that other work permit options might be offered to those denied a PGWP.
“Behind every application is a person, a household and essential prepare for the future, and we comprehend there are questions about the program requirements,” Dale added.
Portage College business communications manager Jaime Davies said the organizations understood the “stress and unpredictability” of PGWP application outcomes, repeating it has no impact over immigration decisions.
They stated the college continued to look for information of the scenario with government and motivated impacted graduates with concerns to contact a licensed migration attorney or controlled consultant.
According to local media reports, roughly 50 individuals on the very same courses were authorized for work authorizations, adding to confusion. Those who were refused now have 90 days from the end of their course before their visas end.