Canada’s Portage College has come up with a new instruction for its students who have been denied a postgraduate work permit by the Canadian government. The college asked the students to find out their local MPs in Canada and approach them, seeking a solution to the situation. This came after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith made it clear that the students will have to go back to their home countries.Thousands of students were told in July that they won’t be able to work in Canada though they finished the degree that they thought would make them eligible for a post-graduate work permit in Canada. A work permit in Canada is not residency; it only allows students to gain Canadian work experience. The federal government has a list of colleges and courses that are eligible for work permits. Some changes to this list were made in 2024 that disqualified some courses of Portage College but these students did not expect to be affected as they enroled to the course before the 2024 change. Portage College, too, claimed it was not aware that this would happen.
Latest statement issued by Portage College
“We are continuing to hear that graduates of non-credit programs from Portage College and our partner institutions are receiving refusals when they apply for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). We understand the frustration of our graduates, particularly when some former students receive a PGWP and others do not.“IRCC decisions are completely out of the control of Portage College. Immigration is a federal government responsibility. As we have said in previous updates, students should consult either an authorized immigration lawyer or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant.“Graduates who are caught in this situation can also contact their federal Member of Parliament (MP). MPs are elected to represent their local constituents, and they can sometimes help people navigate the federal government, or advocate on a constituent’s behalf.“To find out who is your MP, you can visit this House of Commons website and enter your postal code in the search box. From there, click on the MP’s name, and then on the name of their constituency. You will then have the mailing address and phone number of the local constituency office. We recommend writing a letter to your MP explaining the specific facts of your situation. Ask whether the MP could take up your case with IRCC. There is no advantage to sending more than one letter. If you are calling the MP’s office, explain the situation to the staff person who answers the phone. There is no need to speak directly to the MP.“Again, we recognize that this is a difficult situation for our graduates. We are surprised by the recent IRCC rejections of PGWP applications and we will continue to do all we can to assist our graduates as they seek work permits in Canada.”
Student visa is for studying: Earn education, go home
Daniell Smith said a student visa does not come with a guarantee of work permit. “A student visa is a temporary document to study in Canada. That was always understood,” Smith said. “Our universities and colleges were built by Alberta taxpayers, first and foremost for Alberta students. Where there is room for international students, the terms are simple. Earn your education, then return home to build a life with it. Rules are what make a fair system fair and our country needs to return to an immigration process that respects the rules,” she said.
