(IRCC)- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada notified on 17 March 2023 that international students with (PGWPs)- post-graduation work permits expiring in 2023 would be suitable for an extra 18-month work permit.

The requirement applies to students whose post-graduation work permits have already expired. IRCC demonstrates that those with expired work permits can restore their visa status, even if they are above the 90-day restoration period, and will obtain temporary work authorization while awaiting their new work permit application processing.

Students finishing study programmes of eight months or more are eligible for post-graduation work permits permitting work periods of eight months to three years, depending on the duration of the programme.

The action observes a parallel extension for students holding visa permits expiring in 2022. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will open a “facilitative process” through its online services for students on 6 April 2023 to authorize students to apply for the extension.

An accompanying news release from IRCC says talented and skilled foreign graduates play a critical role in managing Canada’s labour shortage, and individuals approaching the end of their PGWP are already well incorporated into Canada’s labour market. The additional work permit will enable eligible applicants to resume contributing to the Canadian economy while accumulating valuable work experience and preparing for the opportunity in order to apply for permanent residence.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) release also makes a direct link between the opportunity to acquire work experience in Canada through the PGWP and the transition to permanent residence for international graduates. The ministry proclaims that over 157,000 international students earned permanent residence status in the year 2021 (a record high), followed by another 95,000 in the year 2022.

IRCC added that, as of the end of 2022, over 286,000 international graduates were in Canada with a valid post-graduation work permit. Nearly 127,000 post-graduation work permits expire in 2023, though around 67,000 PGWP holders have already applied for PR and won’t need to extend their work permit through this procedure. Those figures suggest that roughly 60,000 students with expiring PGWPs will be suitable for the newly declared extension.

News Source: Icefmonitor