e-4454 (Citizenship and immigration)

Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

• Since 2017, international students who completed a two year program from an eligible designated learning institution (DLI) have already received a four and a half year post-graduation work permit (PGWP) (three year originally and eighteen months extension under Public Policy for PGWP extension);
• Since 2019, international students who have completed a one year program from an eligible DLI have already received a two and a half year PGWP (one year originally and eighteen months under public policy for PGWP extension);
• The Government of Canada has ample data to support a permanent change to PGWP length just like it has done in other programs like Labour Market Impact Assessment(LMIA) based work permit and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) (T13) work permits;
• Graduates with no prior work experience find it hard to get skilled jobs upon completion of their studies. Longer tenure will assist in gaining helpful skills;
• Increased length of PGWP will address key issues like job offers being sold by businesses, LMIA scams and running dummy payrolls by so-called employees;
• Current PGWP length creates stress and anxiety amongst work permit holders who are not able to get skilled jobs and hence subject to exploitation; and
• Three public policies have been introduced in year 2021, 2022 and 2023 to provide this relief to PGWP holders.