- Andrew Carvajal
International students studying online due to COVID-19 may still be eligible for a PGWP
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated its online guidelines regarding the impact of COVID-19 on international students.
An important development is that students who have been forced to switch from in-person courses to online learning may still be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after they graduate from their studies from an eligible Canadian institution.
The directive includes students who have an approved study permit for a program starting in May or June, but due to travel restrictions, are unable to travel to Canada at this time.
The wording of IRCC's guideline is as follows:
If your in-class courses are being moved to an online-only format because of COVID-19, your eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program won’t be affected. This includes students who have a study permit or who have been approved for a study permit for a program starting in May or June but who are unable to travel to Canada at this time due to travel restrictions. International students in this situation may begin their classes while outside Canada and may complete up to 50% of their program while outside Canada if they cannot travel to Canada sooner.
Want to learn more about study permits, the rights of international students and the impact of COVID-19 measures? On April 27, Andrew Carvajal will be offering a 5 hour CPD course on A Full Guide to Study Permits and Student Status in Canada. To review the course agenda and register, visit https://www.lpen.ca/study-permits
For further information on the different programs available to immigrate to Canada contact us at acarvajal@desloges.ca
Desloges Law Group is a Toronto law firm specializing in all types of Canadian immigration law, administrative law and civil litigation. www.desloges.ca
