Free tool · PGWP field of study

PGWP eligible programs checker Search every eligible CIP code, then see exactly which rule applies to your study permit date and credential

IRCC's field-of-study list decides whether a college diploma, certificate or non-degree program can lead to a post-graduation work permit. The list is frozen for 2026, so what you see here is what an officer will apply. Degrees and flight school are exempt; everything else must match a code below.

1,107 eligible fields6 categoriesList frozen for 2026Updated Jul 4, 2025

IRCC list · frozen for 2026

Eligible fields of study1,107CIP codes on the July 4, 2025 list · no additions or removals in 2026

Categories6

Added Jun 25, 2025119

ExemptDegrees

Step by step

Is your program PGWP-eligible?

Three answers, then a search of the official list. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

PGWP eligible programs finderFreeIRCC list of Jul 4, 2025Frozen for 2026

Source: IRCC, Post-graduation work permit: currently eligible CIP codes (list updated July 4, 2025) and PGWP eligibility. Checked September 7, 2026.

The rules

Five things decide a PGWP.

The field-of-study list is only one of them. All five must line up on the day you apply.

1Eligible program and institution

At least 8 months (900 hours in Quebec), full-time except a final part-time term, at a designated learning institution whose programs are PGWP-eligible. Programs under curriculum licensing that began after May 15, 2024 are out.

2Field of study

Applies when the study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024 and the credential is not a university degree or flight-school program. The CIP code must be on the list when either the study permit or the PGWP application was submitted.

3Language

CLB/NCLC 7 for university programs, CLB/NCLC 5 for college and other non-university programs, in all four abilities, from a test less than two years old. Applies to PGWP applications submitted on or after November 1, 2024.

4180 days

Apply within 180 days of the institution confirming completion, and hold a study permit that was valid at some point during those 180 days. Use the deadline calculator.

5One permit, once

A PGWP can only be issued once in a lifetime; its length follows the program length up to three years. Check yours with the length calculator.

62026 freeze

IRCC has committed not to add or remove eligible fields of study during 2026, so a program that qualifies today keeps qualifying for this year.

Questions

PGWP eligible programs, answered.

Which programs are eligible for a PGWP in 2026?

Every bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree from a university, every flight-school program, and any other program (college diploma or certificate, graduate certificate, non-degree university program) whose CIP code is on IRCC's list of eligible fields of study. The list has 1,107 codes in six categories — STEM, health care and social services, trades, education, agriculture and agri-food, and transport — and IRCC has said it will not add or remove fields during 2026.

What is a CIP code and where do I find mine?

The Classification of Instructional Programs code is a six-digit number (for example 11.0701 for computer science) that every designated learning institution assigns to each program. Ask the registrar or international office; it also appears on many enrolment letters. Search by code or by keyword above.

I applied for my study permit before November 1, 2024. Does the field-of-study rule apply to me?

No. The requirement applies only when the study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024. You still need to meet the other PGWP conditions: an eligible program of at least 8 months at an eligible institution, the 180-day filing window, and the language requirement if you apply for the PGWP on or after November 1, 2024.

My field was removed on June 25, 2025 — am I still eligible?

Yes. On July 4, 2025 IRCC added back the fields it had removed on June 25, 2025, and confirmed that a field counts if it was on the list when you submitted either your study permit application or your PGWP application. The current list therefore includes every field that has been eligible since November 2024.

What language level do I need?

CLB or NCLC 7 in all four abilities for university programs (degrees and any other university program) and CLB or NCLC 5 for college, polytechnic and other non-university programs, from a test taken within the last two years. Flight-school graduates have no language requirement. Use our CLB calculator to convert IELTS, CELPIP, PTE, TEF or TCF scores.

Does a private college program qualify?

Only if it is a PGWP-eligible program at an eligible institution. Programs delivered by a private college under licence from a public college (curriculum licensing) are not eligible if they began after May 15, 2024 in the same province, or after January 31, 2023 in a different province.

IRCC — Post-graduation work permit: field of study requirement · currently eligible CIP codes, list of July 4, 2025
IRCC — Update on field of study requirement for post-graduation work permits · June 25 and July 4, 2025 changes
IRCC — Post-graduation work permit: who can apply · language, length and timing rules

Keep going

More PGWP tools.

PGWP 180-day deadlineYour filing deadline from the completion letter.PGWP length calculatorHow long the permit runs for your program.CLB / NCLC calculatorConvert IELTS, CELPIP, PTE, TEF and TCF scores.Designated learning institution finderFind an institution that can host a study permit.Proof of funds calculatorExpress Entry and PNP settlement funds by family size.All free toolsEvery calculator, checker and tracker on the site.

Not sure which CIP code your program carries?

Send us the program name and institution and a licensed RCIC will confirm the code, the list status and your PGWP timeline in writing.

Book a consultation

eligibility review

Find out where you actually stand.

Send a few details. A licensed RCIC reads your profile personally, then replies with the routes that genuinely fit, the ones that do not, and the consultation fee and next available times.

Read personally by a CICC-licensed consultant — never a bot, never a salesperson
A written shortlist of the programs you realistically qualify for
Consultations are fee-based; you get the fee and available times by reply

CHK Immigration Services — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (CICC). Offices in Brampton and London, Ontario. Submitting this form does not create a client–consultant relationship; IRCC makes all final decisions.