TL;DR — For study permit applications submitted on or after 1 November 2024, IRCC applies field-of-study restrictions to the PGWP. College and other non-university graduates must be in an eligible field: Agriculture and Agri-Food, Healthcare, STEM, Trade, or Transport, and must meet CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French. Bachelor, Master and Doctoral graduates from eligible Canadian universities are exempt from the field-of-study restriction.
The Post-Graduation Work Permit rules changed materially with the IRCC update effective 1 November 2024. This piece explains the changes and how to plan around them.
What changed on 1 November 2024
- Study permit applications submitted from that date onward carry the new PGWP rules.
- Applications submitted before 1 November 2024 continue to operate under the previous rules with no field-of-study restrictions.
Who is exempt (no field-of-study restriction)
- Graduates of Bachelor, Master or Doctoral programmes at eligible Canadian universities.
- These graduates qualify for the PGWP based on the length and level of their programme, without a field restriction.
Who is restricted (college / non-university programmes)
Graduates of college and non-university programmes must be in an eligible field to qualify for the PGWP. The eligible fields are:
- Agriculture and Agri-Food.
- Healthcare.
- STEM.
- Trade.
- Transport.
IRCC maintains a list of approximately 966 eligible programmes with specific CIP or NOC codes. Programmes must appear on the list at the time the study permit is applied for.
Language requirement
- College graduates: CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French, across all four language skills.
- University graduates: CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French.
Programmes commonly excluded from the eligible list
- General business programmes at colleges.
- Tourism and hospitality programmes at colleges.
- General arts and social sciences programmes at colleges.
- Broad management programmes at colleges.
These programmes remain valid study permit routes, but graduates do not qualify for the PGWP under the new rules unless they attend an eligible Bachelor programme.
Practical planning for Nepali applicants
- If you are targeting the PGWP: choose a Bachelor, Master or Doctoral programme at a Canadian university (unrestricted).
- If you must attend a college programme: confirm the specific programme is on the IRCC eligible field-of-study list.
- Confirm the CIP or NOC code with the DLI before you deposit tuition.
- Plan the CLB language proficiency early — the CLB threshold is the second common refusal ground for college graduates.
Key takeaways
- Bachelor, Master and Doctoral graduates from eligible Canadian universities are exempt from PGWP field-of-study restrictions.
- College graduates must be in Agriculture and Agri-Food, Healthcare, STEM, Trade or Transport, and meet CLB 5.
- Approximately 966 eligible programmes are listed by IRCC.
- Applications before 1 November 2024 are exempt from the new rules.
- Verify the eligible-field list on the canada.ca website before enrolling.
Important: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial or migration advice. Rules, eligible programme lists and language thresholds change; verify current guidance on the IRCC website and speak to The Next Education counsellors before taking any action based on this content.
Related resources
See our Canada PAL guide, PGWP vs 485 comparison, and Canada Express Entry for graduates.