Hundreds of international students have continued protesting in downtown Calgary after Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) refused their applications for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs), with many saying the decisions have left their futures uncertain.Many of the protesters studied at Portage College through partnership programs and say they enrolled believing they would be eligible for a PGWP upon graduation. Instead, they received refusal letters from IRCC stating their programs were not eligible for the permits.Students have also questioned the consistency of the department's decisions, claiming graduates from the same college and the same programs received PGWP approvals before July 7 while others were later refused.A PGWP allows eligible international graduates to gain Canadian work experience after completing their studies and is often considered an important pathway toward permanent residency.The dispute comes amid broader federal efforts to tighten Canada's international student program. In 2024, Ottawa announced changes to PGWP eligibility for some programs delivered through public-private curriculum licensing arrangements, saying the reforms were intended to strengthen the integrity of the international education system..According to CTV News, many of the students said they enrolled before the federal government's May 15, 2024, policy deadline and expected to remain eligible for a work permit.Mukul Rana, a graduate from Portage College, said students who received refusals are now struggling financially and mentally after losing the ability to work.“This is a betrayal of thousands of international students; it is not just administrative, it is a human crisis,” Rana said to CTV News.“Now, many of us have been refused PGWPs based on a policy that changed after we committed our futures to Canada. After we fulfilled our part, thousands of students are facing PGWP refusals, loss of legal status, loss of employment, financial devastation and uncertainty about their futures.”Portage College also sent a letter to students earlier this year stating they should remain eligible for a post-graduation work permit, provided they maintained good academic standing and met their program requirements.Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney has also weighed in on the incident, addressing the responsibilities of international students and Canada's immigration system in a post on X.."When these folks applied for their study permits, they signed a legal undertaking to leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay," Kenney wrote."Their visas were issued on the basis of that commitment, including evidence of establishment factors that they submitted to persuade an IRCC visa officer that, on a balance of probabilities, they would in fact leave at the end of their authorized period," IRCC has said PGWP eligibility is determined based on federal program requirements. The department has not publicly addressed the students' claims that graduates from the same programs received different outcomes.Portage College has acknowledged that some graduates of certain non-credit programs have received PGWP refusals. In a statement, the college said IRCC is responsible for assessing applications and making immigration decisions, adding that it does not guarantee that any program, document or letter will result in a specific immigration outcome. The college said it is seeking clarification from government and sector contacts regarding how PGWP requirements are being applied to affected graduates.“Portage College does not make immigration decisions… or guarantee that a program, document, or letter will result in any particular immigration outcome.”“The College is seeking information and clarification from relevant government and sector contacts regarding the application of PGWP requirements to graduates of the affected programs.“The letter will provide institutional information only. It is not legal advice… and does not confirm or guarantee PGWP eligibility or any other immigration outcome.”
