Canada: Port-of-Entry Post-Graduation Work Permit Processing Suspended

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that foreign nationals can no longer apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) at a Canadian port of entry, effective immediately. According to IRCC, the measure is intended to help reduce the number of students who leave Canada and re-enter within 24 hours to receive immigration services (i.e., a same-day PGWP) at the port of entry – commonly called flag-poling. In turn, this will help alleviate delays at ports of entry for other activities such as immigration enforcement and the movement of goods. These foreign nationals will instead need to apply for the PGWP online within Canada before their study permit expires, which is the standard process. The measure follows the reduction of operating hours for immigration services at Pacific Region border crossings with a similar aim.