Practicing Exclusively in Canadian Immigration Law

Canada’s Post-Graduate Work Permit (“PGWP”) program (the "PGWPP") allows international students who have completed certain Canadian post-secondary programs to obtain work permits after graduating.  The work permits are open, meaning that the graduates can work for any employer in any Canadian province.  It is a fantastic program that enhances the competitiveness of Canadian post-secondary institutions internationally, and is normally an essential transitory step for international graduates looking to eventually obtain Canadian permanent residency. However, every year there are many international students who mistakenly think that they will be eligible to participate in the program after graduating only to discover midway through their studies that they cannot.  It is accordingly very important that all international students in Canada understand how the PGWP program works. Basis in Law Section 205 of Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations provides the government with the authority to create programs to issue work permits to foreign nationals when it is satisfied that public policy objectives relating to the competiveness of Canada’s economy or academic institutions are met.  The PGWPP is one of these programs, and detailed information about it can be found on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ("IRCC") website here. As the Federal Court ...