Termination of In-Canada Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Border Applications ("Flagpoling" Prohibition)

Validated finding · five-country-2010-20260922-v118-evidence-presentation-fix

CountryCanada

Operative dateJune 21, 2024

CategoryPost-graduation work permits / border processing

Policy toolPoint-of-application restriction

Affected groupGraduates / students

Policy effect

Issued ministerial instructions instructing Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and designated port of entry officers to cease processing applications for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) made at land border ports of entry upon entry to Canada under IRPR section 198 ("flagpoling"), requiring graduates to apply online from within Canada.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: Issued ministerial instructions instructing Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and designated port of entry officers to cease processing applications for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) made at land border ports of entry upon entry to Canada under IRPR section 198 ("flagpoling"), requiring graduates to apply online from within Canada.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… maintenance of efficient procedures, consistency in decision-making, and integrity of the Canadian immigration system. These Instructions are instrumental to lowering flagpoling volumes at ports of entry (POE), the objective of which is to reduce border wait times and enable more effective customs and immigration examinations. Instructions to refuse to process certain work permit applications Instructions are directed to designated officers who are charged with handling and/or reviewing applications for work permits. Officers are instructed not to process applications for work permits made by foreign nationals in accordance with section 198 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Regulations), if the application is described below: (a) the applicant is making the work permit application under section 200 of the Regulations on entry to Canada; and (b) the work permit application referred to in (a) is for post-graduation work designated by the Minister under subparagraph 200(1)(c)(ii) of the Regulations. Disposition of applications Where new work permit applications are not processed pursuant to these Instructions, the applicant will be notified of the refusal to process, … IRCC); as of June 21, 2024, IRCC implemented a new policy on post-graduate work permit applications, which included the elimination of the ability for all foreign nationals (including flagpolers) to apply for these permits at Canada’s ports of entry. The decision to utilize the Regulations to implement the above-noted service restrictions was made taking the factors prescribed in the regulations into account, including the frequency of persons arriving in the area, the need for CBSA services, and the operational capacity of the CBSA. The practice of flagpoling contributes to congestion at the border …

Canada GazetteCanada Gazette, Part I, Volume 158, Number 26, Ministerial Instructions regarding the processing of certain work permit applications, Department of Citizenship and Immigration.Open official source

Retrieved from https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2024/2024-06-29/html/notice-avis-eng.html

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Automated source validation is not independent human legal review. The finding should not be treated as legal advice. Record fcp3-47d986ccf1db5c7c20c1. Something wrong? Flag this record.

Termination of In-Canada Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Border Applications ("Flagpoling" Prohibition)

Policy effect

Conditions and exceptions

Official source excerpt

Review method

Other Canada changes operative in 2024