A policy was implemented to assist students with a PGWP extension by the Minister with positive intentions. Administratively, the mechanism used to execute the extensions was determined by calendar year cut-offs. 

Anyone familiar with international students in Canada knows that the intake into public colleges/universities is done either in January, May, or September. This means that students graduate at the same time (batches); the only issue here is that all students are not issued their PGWP simultaneously.

A calendar year approach to extension was unfair as a subsection of the group of students that should have been captured was missed; this appeared to have affected chiefly August 2021 graduates who started receiving their PGWPs as early as November 2021 and some April or later 2022 leading to various 2023 expiry dates.

A calendar year approach was unfair as it does not support equality or stand for what Canada promotes when inviting foreigners to study in this country.

The Minister’s policy proposal was excellent and now it is time to fix the eligibility terms which has led to grave injustice for students who were studying in Canada in 2021 or earlier. 

PGWP holders with expiry dates in January 2023 are in the process of losing their jobs. Children of these families with these permits are affected as they are unable to attend school and most families will have to return to their home countries. Employers have invested a vast amount of time to train these graduates, now there is a chain reaction that negatively impacts the economy when so many jobs are abandoned due to the lack of an ITA or a work permit extension. 

Please let us spread the word as to how we have been impacted. Let us get the news out, and keep optimistic that the government will finally respond to our cries for justice. 

#Fairness#justiceforall#equality#extend2023PGWPs