This article uses information from Statistics Canada research from 2022 that includes information up to 2018. Path to Canadian PR via PGWP for International Students.
The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program is used by many foreign students who graduate from eligible Canadian Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) to prolong their stay in Canada so they can work and establish a life here.
Note: As defined by the Canadian government, a DLI is “a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students.”
In fact, the total number of PGWP holders in Canada has increased every year, according to a survey of PGWP holders by yearly graduation cohort. The study found that 29% of graduates from the class of 2008 still had a PGWP after five years. With the graduating class of 2009, that figure increased by an additional 5%, and it has since risen consistently. Five years after graduating, 52% of the class of 2013’s graduates have earned a PGWP.
Statistics show a 528% increase in the overall number of PGWP holders between 2008 and 2018 further demonstrating the PGWP’s expansion (from 10,300 to 64,700).
Why have more international students sought PGWPs?
Importantly, Canada currently has approximately 807,000 international students with legitimate study visas studying there.
Statistics Canada data indicate that there are two factors contributing to the PGWP’s increased popularity: first, PGWPs give overseas graduates the opportunity to support themselves financially in Canada, and second, they are an important means of attaining permanent residency in this nation.
Median earnings for PGWP holders up between 2008 and 2018
The median average “earnings for valid [PGWP] holders with positive T4 earnings” for the 2018 tax year was $26,800. That amount was only $14,500 in 2008. (in 2018 dollars).
In line with the increase in PGWP holders throughout time, there is now much more earning potential available to PGWP holders across Canada.
Note: In 2008, the lowest provincial median income for PGWP holders was $10,600. (Quebec). The province of Alberta reported the highest earnings in 2008, with PGWP holders earning a median annual salary of $24,000. In 2018, those figures soared to $23,200 (in Quebec) and $32,000 (in Alberta).
PGWPs are enabling more foreign students to obtain Canadian permanent residency
Permit holders are increasingly able to convert to Canadian permanent residents (PRs) after completing their studies thanks to the PGWP.
After graduating from a Canadian DLI, PGWPs is the primary route for international students to get employment in Canada. For a maximum of three years, those who possess these open work permits are free to work for any Canadian employer of their choice.
Note: The duration of a PGWP will depend on how long the applicant’s post-secondary programme was when they graduated.
Due to the fact that many avenues for becoming a permanent resident in this country explicitly favour applicants with Canadian work experience, the job experience obtained through a PGWP can therefore be quite advantageous for potential PRs.
As a result, PGWPs may directly affect how successfully international students are able to obtain permanent resident status in Canada, which helps to explain why this work permit scheme has grown more and more well-liked over time.
In reality, approximately 75% of PGWP holders become permanent residents within 5 years of receiving their PGWP, according to Statistics Canada data.
It is clear that an increasing number of Canadian international students are now using the PGWPP to help them transition from their educational career to life as a PR in Canada, even though these numbers vary among PGWP holders who obtained different educational credentials (ex. bachelor’s vs. master’s degree, etc.).
The above-outlined data explains why current international students, as well as individuals looking to study in Canada in the future, would benefit from learning about the PGWP should they intend to eventually become permanent residents in Canada.
International students currently in Canada or those considering a future education in Canada can click here to learn more about this increasingly prevalent Canadian work permit program.
