On March 17, 2023, Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigrants, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), announced for the third time that international graduates will be able to extend their stay and work in Canada for an additional 18 months.
As of April 6, 2023, individuals whose Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) has expired or is about to expire will be able to apply for an extension of their status more easily. Individuals who were eligible for the DPWP measures announced in early August 2022 will also be able to apply for a new work permit of up to 18 months.
Eligible individuals will receive a message to register and update their information on the IRCC website. The department noted that all individuals who were eligible in August 2022 will be able to apply for a new permit or reinstate their status.
Even if their permit expired more than 90 days ago, individuals who have had their permit expire will be able to apply for reinstatement of status and will receive a provisional work authorization while their application is being processed.
This measure is designed to support the Canadian economy by allowing foreign graduates, whether already employed or not, to remain in Canada. It simplifies the process for workers and employers while helping to reduce labour shortages.
In 2022, there were 286,000 international graduates in Canada. Of these, 157,000 were granted permanent residence in 2021 and 95,000 in 2022, representing 39% and 22% of applications respectively.
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