India Students Among 1,500 Denied Canada Work Permits in Rule Change

The refusals stem from a June 24 update to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidelines that tightened eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program.

Affected graduates had completed programs at private colleges operating under public college curricula, a category now excluded from PGWP eligibility under the revised rules.

Many of the impacted students are from India, which sends a large number of international students to Canada each year.

The policy shift has left graduates unable to gain Canadian work experience, a common pathway to permanent residency, and has prompted calls for clarity or reconsideration from student advocacy groups.