Major Study and Work Visa Changes Announced by Canada for Fall 2020
 International Students can now enroll themselves in online courses and still be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit after coming to Canada.

 Canada has made a major change to its Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) rules for all international students who want to study this Fall 2020.

The PGWP enables students to gain Canadian Work Experience after they have completed their education at a Canadian Designated Learning Institute (DLI).

However, it is required of the International Students to complete at least 8 months in length at a DLI in order to be eligible for PGWP.

It is also important to note; the ultimate length of the PGWP depends on the length of the student’s study program in Canada.

Earlier, online courses did not count towards the requirement of a PGWP application. However, given the present COVID-19 situation and the travel restrictions in place globally, the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) decided to allow International Students to study from overseas and still be eligible for a work permit after graduation.

International Students starting this year will be able to begin their programs at a Canadian DLI online from Fall 2020. They can complete up to 50 percent of their program from overseas, and will still be eligible to obtain a work permit for Canada after completing their studies. They, however, need to have obtained a study permit before starting their program.

ICCRC also noted that no international student will have time deducted from their work permit for the time they spent outside Canada, up to December 31, 2020.

What makes this announcement by ICCRC so major?
The PGWP is desired and highly sought after as it enables international students to work in Canada for up to three years after they complete their studies. This work experience provides them with a major advantage when submitting their federal or provincial immigration application.

The aim behind this announcement is to encourage more students to continue with their decisions to study from this Fall 2020 and not defer their education. The reason why this announcement will encourage International Students is, they can avail and access the same benefits had they been physically present in Canada, and they can be eligible for a work permit while completing a portion of their studies from the country of origin. Any student who will be willing to apply for Canadian Immigration will surely capitalize on this opportunity.

International Students who had received their study permits before March 18th and are still not able to come to Canada, new permits are being processed for them. Furthermore, ICCRC will notify the new students, as to when they are able to travel to Canada again.

This announcement makes Canadian Education and Canadian Immigration look more appealing for international students.