Canada Warns International Students of Serious Consequences After Work Permit Rejections

Canada’s immigration authorities have issued an important reminder to international students and other foreign nationals about the consequences of working without legal authorisation. The warning comes amid growing concern among international graduates, including many Indian students, who say their applications for Post-Graduation Work Permits, or PGWPs, were unexpectedly rejected after they completed programmes they believed would make them eligible to work in Canada.

Reports indicate that around 1,500 international graduates may be affected, although this figure has been provided by a coalition representing students and has not been officially confirmed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, commonly known as IRCC. A number of affected graduates studied at programmes connected with Portage College in Alberta and have protested against the permit refusals.

Against this background, IRCC has reminded foreign nationals that working in Canada without proper authorisation is illegal and may result in removal from the country, a five-year re-entry ban and long-term damage to future immigration applications.

However, it is important to clarify that IRCC has not publicly said that its general warning on unauthorised employment was issued specifically in response to the Portage College dispute. The advisory coincides with the controversy and has attracted attention because international students are seeking clarity about when they can legally work during their studies and after completing their programmes.

Why Were the Post-Graduation Work Permits Rejected?

The controversy centres on graduates of certain programmes that were reportedly presented or understood to be eligible for a PGWP. After completing their studies and submitting their applications, some graduates received refusal decisions stating that they had completed non-credit programmes.

Portage College acknowledged on July 14, 2026, that some graduates of certain non-credit programmes had received PGWP refusals. The college also confirmed that some of the rejected applications included letters previously issued by the institution.

Under the PGWP eligibility rules published by IRCC, a person is generally not eligible for a post-graduation work permit after completing a non-credit programme of study, except in the case of certain flight-school programmes. IRCC also requires candidates to have completed an eligible programme at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution.

The disagreement appears to involve whether affected students were given sufficiently clear information about the status of their programmes before they enrolled and paid tuition fees.

Students reportedly believed that their courses would allow them to apply for post-study work authorisation. After completing their programmes, however, their applications were assessed under rules stating that non-credit programmes are not PGWP eligible.

The fact that a college is a designated learning institution does not necessarily mean that every programme offered by that institution qualifies for a PGWP. Students must verify both the institution’s status and the eligibility of their specific programme.

Portage College Responds to the Controversy

Portage College has said that IRCC is solely responsible for assessing immigration applications and deciding whether an individual qualifies for a PGWP. The institution stated that it cannot approve, overturn, vary or require IRCC to reconsider an immigration decision.

The college has advised affected graduates to obtain independent assistance from an authorised Canadian immigration lawyer or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. It has also said that students should act promptly because immigration and legal processes may be subject to strict deadlines.

Portage College further explained that its letters do not guarantee an immigration outcome. According to the institution, it can provide factual information about enrolment, programme records and completion documents, but it cannot determine whether an individual student is legally eligible for a permit.

This distinction is important because educational institutions can issue admission and completion documents, while the final decision on a work permit rests with Canadian immigration authorities.

The college has continued to seek clarification regarding the application of PGWP rules to the affected graduates. Students, meanwhile, have demanded a review of the refusals, arguing that they invested substantial amounts of money and time based on their understanding that their programmes would provide access to post-graduation employment.

What Is a Post-Graduation Work Permit?

A PGWP is an open work permit that may allow eligible international graduates to work for different employers in Canada after finishing their studies.

Canadian work experience can be valuable for graduates seeking employment and may also help some individuals qualify for immigration programmes leading to permanent residence. However, receiving a Canadian study permit does not automatically guarantee that a student will receive a PGWP after graduation.

Under IRCC’s general requirements, an applicant must normally complete a programme lasting at least eight months at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution. The student must generally maintain full-time status during each semester, although part-time study may be permitted during the final semester.

Applicants must usually submit their PGWP applications within 180 days of receiving confirmation that they completed their programme. Their study permit must also have been valid at some point during that 180-day period.

Depending on the type of qualification and the date of the original study-permit application, graduates may also have to satisfy language and field-of-study requirements.

For example, graduates of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programmes must generally demonstrate a minimum language level equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmarks level 7. Graduates of many college, polytechnic and other non-university programmes generally need a minimum of CLB 5. Field-of-study restrictions may also apply to certain candidates whose study-permit applications were submitted on or after November 1, 2024.

Serious Consequences of Working Without Authorisation

IRCC has warned that foreign nationals must understand the conditions attached to their immigration documents before accepting employment.

Working without authorisation can result in removal from Canada, a five-year ban on returning and a permanent fraud record with IRCC. It can also damage a person’s chances of obtaining future study permits, work permits or permanent residence.

Unauthorised workers may also be particularly vulnerable to exploitation because dishonest employers can threaten to report their immigration status. IRCC warns that such workers may experience wage theft, unsafe working conditions, abuse, threats or forced and unpaid labour.

Foreign nationals should therefore not accept a job merely because an employer, agent, recruiter or education consultant tells them that working is permitted. They should independently confirm their eligibility through official Canadian government information or an authorised legal professional.

A promise from an employer or private agent cannot replace a valid work permit or legal authorisation contained in a study permit.

Visitor Visas Do Not Provide Work Rights

IRCC has also clarified that a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization allows an eligible traveller to seek entry into Canada but does not, by itself, permit that person to work.

Holding a valid visitor visa or eTA does not give a foreign national the right to accept employment in Canada. In most circumstances, a separate work permit is required.

Most visitors are also not eligible to apply for a work permit from inside Canada. A temporary policy introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic had allowed certain visitors to apply for work permits without leaving Canada, but IRCC ended that policy on August 28, 2024.

The government said the temporary measure was discontinued partly because some dishonest operators were using it to mislead foreign nationals into working without authorisation.

Visitors should be particularly cautious about advertisements promising that they can enter Canada on a visitor visa, immediately obtain a job and easily convert their visitor status into a work permit.

Rules for International Students Working Off Campus

International students may be allowed to work without obtaining a separate work permit, but only when they meet all applicable eligibility requirements and their study permits authorise employment.

During regular academic terms, eligible students can generally work up to 24 hours per week off campus. They may work for more than one employer, provided that the combined number of hours does not exceed the permitted limit.

During officially scheduled breaks, such as summer holidays, winter holidays or a reading week, eligible students may work unlimited hours off campus. However, the break must be part of the institution’s official academic calendar.

Students enrolled in programmes without scheduled breaks remain subject to the 24-hour weekly limit.

Working more than 24 hours per week off campus during regular classes is a violation of study-permit conditions. A student who breaks this rule may lose their immigration status, be refused future permits or be required to leave Canada.

Students are responsible for keeping accurate records of their working hours. This responsibility also applies to self-employed students. Time spent earning wages, receiving commissions, selling services or operating a business may be counted as working time.

International students should not assume that cash payments, freelance assignments or self-employment are excluded from immigration rules.

Who Cannot Work Off Campus?

Students cannot legally work off campus without a separate work permit when their study permits state that they are not authorised to do so.

Off-campus work is also generally unavailable to students who are enrolled only in English or French as a second-language programmes, general-interest courses or prerequisite courses required for admission to a full-time academic programme.

A student’s situation can also change during their stay in Canada. A person who was previously eligible may lose the right to work if they stop meeting the conditions of their study permit.

Students taking an authorised leave from their academic programmes are generally not permitted to work on or off campus during that leave, even when their permits normally allow employment. IRCC may request evidence showing that a student remains enrolled and is actively pursuing their studies.

Failure to comply with study-permit conditions may affect future immigration applications. In some situations, the student may be told to leave Canada and may have to wait six months before applying for another study permit, visitor visa or work permit.

Rules for Working on Campus

Eligible international students are generally allowed to work on campus without a separate work permit.

Unlike the off-campus limit, IRCC does not currently impose a fixed weekly limit on eligible on-campus employment during regular semesters or scheduled academic breaks.

An on-campus employer can include the educational institution, a faculty member, a student organisation, a private contractor providing services to the college or university, or an eligible business physically located on the campus.

Nevertheless, students must continue to satisfy the conditions of their study permits. Unlimited on-campus work should not interfere with the requirement to actively pursue their academic programme.

Can Students Work After Completing Their Studies?

International students must be particularly careful when their programmes end.

IRCC states that students must generally stop working once they receive an official completion letter, final transcript or formal communication from their institution confirming that they have completed their studies.

They may continue working only in certain circumstances, such as when they applied for an eligible work permit before their study permit expired or when they are beginning a new study programme and meet the applicable conditions.

Completing a course does not automatically authorise a graduate to continue working while deciding what to do next.

A graduate who submits a valid PGWP application while eligible may be permitted to work during processing. However, this depends on the applicant’s status, the timing of the application and whether all legal conditions have been satisfied.

Anyone whose PGWP application is refused should immediately check whether they are still authorised to work. Continuing employment after losing authorisation could create further immigration problems.

IRCC Warns Students About Immigration Fraud

The Canadian immigration department has also warned students and foreign workers to watch for common signs of fraud.

Warning signs include demands for money in return for a work permit or guaranteed job offer, promises that employment will automatically lead to permanent residence and requests for passports or personal documents through social-media platforms.

Students should also be suspicious of anyone claiming that they can continue living and working in Canada after their immigration status has expired.

Other potentially exploitative offers include free accommodation in exchange for unpaid labour or promises that an employer can solve immigration problems without submitting a proper application.

No private agent, recruiter, college or employer can guarantee the approval of a Canadian work permit or permanent residence application.

Applicants remain responsible for the information submitted in their immigration applications, even when the forms are prepared by a consultant or another representative. Providing false or misleading information can result in refusal and serious immigration consequences.

What Affected Students Should Do

Students whose PGWP applications have been refused should carefully read the refusal letter and obtain professional advice based on their individual cases.

They should preserve copies of their admission documents, programme descriptions, tuition-payment records, study permits, transcripts, completion letters, promotional materials and correspondence with their colleges or education agents.

These documents may be relevant when requesting reconsideration, seeking judicial review or examining whether inaccurate information was provided during recruitment.

Students should consult only authorised immigration lawyers or Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants. They should avoid unlicensed agents who promise guaranteed approval in exchange for large payments.

Because legal challenges and immigration applications may have strict deadlines, affected graduates should seek advice without unnecessary delay.

A Wider Warning for Prospective International Students

The controversy provides an important lesson for students planning to study in Canada.

Before paying tuition fees, applicants should verify that the institution is a designated learning institution and confirm that the exact programme—not merely the college—is PGWP eligible.

Students should obtain written information about the programme’s credit status, method of delivery, length, location and partnership arrangements. Programmes delivered through private-public partnerships may be subject to additional restrictions.

Students should not select a programme solely because an agent claims that it guarantees a work permit or permanent residence.

The Canadian government continues to offer post-study work opportunities to eligible graduates, but the rules have become increasingly detailed. Programme type, institution, study location, academic status, language ability, field of study and application dates can all affect eligibility.

The recent PGWP refusals involving international graduates, including Indian students, demonstrate how misunderstandings about programme eligibility can have major financial and personal consequences.

For current students, the immediate message from IRCC is clear: understand the conditions of the study permit, follow employment-hour restrictions, stop working when authorisation ends and never rely on unofficial promises.

Working without legal authorisation may not only result in job loss—it can affect a person’s ability to remain in Canada, return to the country or qualify for permanent residence in the future.

Tag: PGWP Rules for International Students

Canada Issues Warning After Work Permit Rejections Affect Indian Students