Calgary’s Portage College, which is facing protests from Indian students as they were denied post-graduation work permits by Canadian Immigration, issued a statement on the situation and said the college body is talking with immigration authorities. “Students seeking advice should consult either an authorized immigration lawyer or a regulated Canadian immigration consultant. We will continue to work throughout the week to gather more information,” the college said in a message on July 20.The college has previously said it does not guarantee that a program will ensure a post-graduation work permit.“Portage College is aware that some graduates of certain non-credit programs have had their Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applications rejected, including a letter issued by the college. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assesses each application individually and is solely responsible for determining eligibility and issuing immigration decisions. Portage College does not make immigration decisions, act as a representative in individual immigration cases, participate in legal proceedings on behalf of students, or guarantee that any program, document or letter will result in any particular immigration outcome.”
What is the matter?
From the end of June 2026, international students of this college, mostly Indians, are getting PGWP refusal, which means these students are not eligible for postgraduate work permits. In the denial, Canada Immigration mentioned that the program they completed does not qualify for a work permit. In Canada, this work permit depends on the list of colleges and the list of programs. If students complete these specific courses from these specific colleges, then only they become eligible for a work permit.“Complete (for example: Business Management Diploma Program) is a non-credit program, thus the program does not meet the criteria for work authorization under R205(c)(ii). Application rejected under R200(1)(c)(ii)” – said most of the rejectors.But students claimed they enrolled at Portage and chose their degrees only because it was listed as a designated college and program. He paid more than $15,000 a year in tuition fees and now he is being told he will not get a work permit and will have to leave Canada.The students are claiming that IRCC has changed a rule on its website but there has been no publication in the Canada Gazette. These students came to Canada in 2023-2024 and hence the new rule that suddenly appeared on the IRCC website is being applied retrospectively to those old students.Canadian immigration consultant Dimple Verma has started a petition to collect signatures in support of international students.As the protest continues, students said they are not demanding Canada PR; They just want to work in Canada after paying tuition fees for two years.