PGWP canada
A fresh petition, labelled as e4454, has been introduced in the House of Commons urging for an extension of the existing duration of post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) for international students in Canada on 18th March 2024 by Ruby Sahota.
The current PGWP Canada e4454 petition demands that the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada extend PGWPs for foreign students’
Reason For this Petition
The petition presses the IRCC minister to extend the PGWP Canada to two years for students who complete an 8–12 month study program and to five years for those who complete a study program lasting two years or longer. The main reasoning behind this is the fact that
- i.International students have been awarded a four and a half year post-graduation work permit (PGWP) after completing a two-year degree from 2017.( The PGWP was originally issued for three years and was extended for an additional eighteen months under Public Policy for PGWP extension.)
ii. The two and a half-year PGWP Canada (one year initially, with an extra eighteen months allowed by public policy for PGWP extensions) is available to students who completed a one-year program at an appropriate designated learning institution (DLI) from 2019.
This combined will not be fair for those who will not be getting PGWP extension.The justification for this is that the Government of Canada, along with other programs like the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) (T13) work permit and the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-based work permit, possesses adequate data to support a permanent extension of the PGWP.
- An extension for PGWP is required, since many fresh graduates without any prior work experience sometimes struggle to obtain skilled employment. A longer tenure can help with the learning of practical skills; more time will address critical issues including companies making false payroll offers, LMIA frauds, and employees posing as employees. The present PGWP period causes stress and worry for work permit holders who are unable to find adequate employment and are therefore susceptible to exploitation.
Initiation of the petition e4454?
The e-petition was begun by Mississauga, Ontario resident Kanwar Sumit Singh Sierah prior to signatures and its presentation in the House of Commons.The petition opened for signatures between October 18, 2023, and February 15, 2024All of Canada’s provinces and territories submitted 24,349 signatures in total, with Ontario giving the highest number 16,686. Ruby Sahota, a Brampton North member of parliament, presented the petition on March 18, 2024.
PGWP Canada holders should remain hopeful while looking for alternatives to secure their position in Canada and eventually become Permanent Residence of the country they have been calling their home ever since these individuals landed.
