IRCC updates list of eligible fields for diploma, certificate programmes
178 fields have been dropped and 119 fields – in healthcare, social services, education, skilled trades – added; now, 920 fields eligible for Canada’s Post-graduation Work Permits
Study Abroad: The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated the list of fields of study that qualify for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) for international students enrolled in non-degree programmes, that is, diploma or certificate courses. The new list, published on June 25, now has a total of 920 fields.
The PGWPs are for Canada student visa holders who wish to stay and work in the country after completing their studies. Students graduating from certificate or diploma programmes are eligible for the PG work permit only if their programmes are in a field currently facing long-term labour shortage in Canada. A relatively recent change in the Canada visa policy, this requirement was introduced for all international students in November of last year and then withdrawn in March for those pursuing degree programmes.
The list of eligible fields has been updated to reflect Canada’s 2025 “express entry priorities”. As many as 178 fields have been removed from the list as Canada no longer faces workforce shortages in them; 119 new fields have been added in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, social services, education and skilled trades.
However, students who applied for a study permit before June 25, 2025, will not be affected by the updated list. They will still qualify for a PGWP if their field of study was on the approved list at the time they applied.
Also read Study Abroad: Mere 38% Indian students in US are women; gender gap worse only in Bangladeshi, Saudi groups
The diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, coupled with the country’s tightening of control over immigration, had caused the number of Indians going to study in Canada to fall last year by over 95,000. Relations have now thawed.
Canada Work Permit Visa: List of eligible fields
The IRCC has taken all transport-related programmes off the list of courses that qualify for a PGWP, and only one programme in Agriculture and Agri-food – “meat cutting/meat cutter” – is still eligible. The newly-added programmes are linked to jobs in sectors that face worker shortages.
Given below are some examples of fields – organised into broad sectors – that have been added and dropped.
Canada Job Visa Eligibility: Healthcare and Social Services
| Eligible for PGPW | Ineligible for PGPW |
| Veterinary medicine (DVM) | Bilingual, multilingual and multicultural education |
| Veterinary / animal health technology / technician and veterinary assistant | Indigenous education |
| Foods, nutrition and wellness studies, general | College student counselling and personal services |
| Human nutrition | Multicultural education |
| Genetics, general | Developmental services worker |
Given below are the newly-added fields for PG work permits in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) field.
Canada PG Work Permits: Eligible fields in STEM
| Eligible for PGPW | Ineligible for PGPW |
| City/urban, community and regional planning | Agricultural and extension education services |
| Environmental design/architecture, general | Agricultural communication/journalism |
| Healthcare environment design/architecture | Agricultural and veterinary sciences/services/operations and related fields, other |
| Sustainable design/architecture | Natural resources/conservation, general |
| Interior architecture | Environmental science |
In education, several fields have been added to the eligible list, many to do with special education or multilingual education, but none dropped from the original list.
Canada Work Permit: Eligible fields in education
| Eligible for PGPW |
| Education, general |
| Bilingual and multilingual education |
| Special education and teaching, general |
| Education / teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities |
| Education/teaching of individuals with multiple disabilities |
The list also has several new fields for trades related to construction. A select list is given below.
Canada PGPW: Eligible fields within the trades
| Eligible for PGPW | Ineligible for PGPW |
| Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration engineering technology / technician | Solar energy technology / technician |
| Welding engineering technology / technician | Electrical and power transmission installation / installer, general |
| Construction engineering technology / technician | Building / property maintenance |
| Construction trades, general | Building / home / construction inspection / inspector |
| Electrician | Glazier |
The complete list is on the IRCC website
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