To see our website filtered by a specific destination, select the country: You are viewing content related to . To view a specific destination, . To view a specific destination, click here

Canada Announces Eligible Programs for PGWP

By Casey October 22, 2024 (Updated October 22, 2024) 2 min. read

Starting November 1, 2024, international students in Canada will need to meet additional requirements to qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after completing certain programs.

IRCC has recently released the updated details surrounding which programs are eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

Eligible Fields of Study for Post-Graduation Work Permits

To qualify for a PGWP, your field of study must align with Canada’s current labor market needs. These needs are reflected in the Express Entry categories introduced in 2023. These include:

CIP Codes and Eligible Programs

To determine if your program qualifies, you can use the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code. This system categorizes educational programs in Canada, similar to how the National Occupation Classification (NOC) categorizes jobs.

Here are some examples of eligible programs for each field of study, along with their corresponding CIP codes:

CIP 2021 TitleCIP 2021 CodeField of Study Category
Agricultural business and management, general01.0101Agriculture and Agri-Food
Animal/livestock husbandry and production01.0302Agriculture and Agri-Food
Plant nursery operations and management01.0606Agriculture and Agri-Food
Animal health01.0903Agriculture and Agri-Food
Agronomy and crop science01.1102Agriculture and Agri-Food
Special education and teaching, general13.1001Healthcare
Exercise physiology26.0908Healthcare
Physical therapy assistant51.0806Healthcare
Polysomnography51.0917Healthcare
Cytotechnology/cytotechnologist51.1002Healthcare
Computer programming/programmer, general11.0201STEM
Chemical engineering14.0701STEM
Engineering mechanics14.1101STEM
Water, wetlands and marine resources management03.0205STEM
Computer graphics11.0803STEM
Electrician46.0302Trade
Heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration maintenance technology/technician47.0201Trade
Machine tool technology/machinist48.0501Trade
Insulator46.0414Trade
Plumbing technology/plumber46.0503Trade
Heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician47.0302Transport
Air traffic controller49.0105Transport
Truck and bus driver/commercial vehicle operator and instructor49.0205Transport
Flight instructor49.0108Transport
Transportation and materials moving, other49.9999Transport

How to Find Your CIP Code

  1. Go to the Statistics Canada webpage for the 2021 CIP
  2. Use the search bar to find keywords related to your program. Explore the available fields of study links
  3. The results will likely lead you to a table of sub-categories. Navigate through the sub categories until you find what you need. If you are unsure, click “display definitions” to learn more about each category.
  4. Choose the most relevant sub-category. The final table will list specific programs. You can use “display definitions” if needed.
  5. The final page will provide information about the program, including examples and exclusions. Remember that program titles are general, so descriptions are crucial for choosing the right code.

Do You Need Help Applying for PGWP?

If so, Contact VisaPlace today. All our cases are handled by competent and experienced immigration professionals who are affiliated with VisaPlace. These professionals consist of lawyers, licensed paralegals, and consultants who work for VisaPlace Legal, an award-winning immigration firm that adheres to the highest standards of client service.

Ready for the next step? Book your 1 on 1 consultation now or call us at (855) 762-0222.

Have a Question related to your Immigration Needs?

Fill out the FREE Immigration Assessment form and get a response within 24 hours to see if you’re eligible.

The assessment form should take approximately 5-7 minutes to complete. We will get back to you within one business day to let you know if we are able to help.

Rodlin Paul Avatar

Rodlin Paul

Let me express all my gratitude to all the team for your guidance and support throughout my permanent residency application process.
Your expertise and thorough attention to detail have been invaluable, ensuring that each step of the application was handled with the utmost professionalism….
You’re the best 👌 ❤️❤️❤️✨️💖

Tom Cameron Avatar

Tom Cameron

Bansuri was very helpful in helping me setup my consultation. She was able to confirm my appointment right away and develop a profile to make the process streamlined. There is a reason why my wife and I have used visa place in twice in the past!

Tristan Johnston Avatar

Tristan Johnston

Visaplace was very accommodating to all my questions and emails, and walked me through everything step by step. After many months and a lot of paperwork, I successfully became a permanent resident of Canada and am now living with my wife, the love of my life. They’re not terribly expensive compared to other immigration lawyers either.

Krunal Panchal Avatar

Krunal Panchal

I had a great experience speaking with Bansuri Pandya from VisaPlace. She was incredibly helpful in understanding my case and clearly explained the next steps. Bansuri was professional, knowledgeable, and empathetic, making the process much easier to navigate. She even assisted in booking my consultation quickly. Highly recommend her services for anyone needing immigration advice!

Christine Rodriguez Avatar

Christine Rodriguez

Hi everyone just wanna thank Visa Place for my Permanent Residency with my two children through Common Law.My case is very complicated and it tooks 30months to get our Pr inside Canada application.Today Nov 13, 2024 we finally received our PR cards.Thank you to Miss Reena Sandhu and to her team for helping us out our immigration matters. They are really not always updating you time to time because they are nothing to update. But everytime they have something to update to the clients they asap update you and tell everything what you need to do and to be done…So all in all im very satisfied and happy to this firm…Thank you again and keep up the good work…God bless you all

Juwel Patil Avatar

Juwel Patil

Our 3 PR cases (Self, Spouse and Son) were processed very professionally via all detailed documentation and other mandates by Felicita (Visa Palace). Her excellent support and guidance, I would strongly recommend for other aspirants. Thank you Felicita !!

Jade Arnold Avatar

Jade Arnold

Our company needed to fast-track some documents to retain skilled international talent. After shopping around, we settled on partnering with VisaPlace to accomplish this as quickly and efficiently as possible, and they held up their end of the agreement quite well. We will use them again should the need arise.