Archive · 18 Jan 2026
Canada Keeps PGWP Eligible List Unchanged for 2026
Canada's immigration department has said that the list of programs that let students work in Canada after graduation will not change in 2026.
This list, called the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligible list, includes programs in areas like healthcare, education, and trades.
The department had planned to change this list, but now it will stay the same.
This is good news for students because they can be sure which programs will let them work in Canada after they finish studying.
Students with bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees don't have to worry about this rule.
The list has 1,107 programs right now.
Canada's immigration department will not change the PGWP eligible list in 2026.
The current list includes 1,107 educational programs in sectors like healthcare, education, and trades.
Students with bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees are exempt from the field-of-study requirement.
The decision provides certainty to international students planning to study and work in Canada.
IRCC had previously announced changes to the PGWP eligible list in 2025, adding 119 fields and removing 178.
- Who
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- What
- Confirmed no changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligible list for 2026
- When
- 15 January 2026
- Where
- Canada
- Why
- To offer certainty to students and educational institution providers
- Department
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Announcement Date
- 15 January 2026
- Current Eligible Programs
- 1,107
- Exempt Degrees
- Bachelors, Masters, Doctoral
- Key Sectors
- Healthcare, Social Services, Education, Trades, Agriculture, STEM, Transport