International students in Calgary are continuing weeks of protests over rejected post-graduation work permits (PGWP) as a dispute grows over whether federal immigration rules were changed, or simply clarified after the students had already completed their studies.
Hundreds of former students from Portage College, an Albertan institute with multiple locations, including southwest Calgary, say they were expecting to qualify for post-graduation work permits after completing their programs. Around 480 graduates who studied through the Canadian Institute of Osteopathic Therapy (CIOT) gathered in Calgary on July 17 after many began receiving refusal letters, according to local reporting.
The demonstrations have since included a round-the-clock protest and a hunger strike, which was paused in late July following advice from community leaders. Similar protests have also taken place in Edmonton and Lac La Biche.
A PGWP is an open work permit that allows eligible graduates of certain Canadian designated learning institutions to gain Canadian work experience after completing their studies. Depending on the length and level of the program, a permit can be issued for up to three years. Graduating from a designated learning institution does not, however, automatically make a student eligible.
For the Calgary protesters, the question is whether the programs they completed were eligible in the first place.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) current eligibility guidelines explicitly state that students who complete a non-credit program of study are not eligible for a PGWP, with an exception for certain flight-school programs. In a statement to the Gauntlet, IRCC updated the federal webpage in June 2026 to “clarify the existing eligibility requirements related to non-credit programs of study.”
Students argue that the explicit exclusion of non-credit programs was not published when they enrolled and should not now be used to reject their applications.
The IRCC disputes that claim, maintaining that there was no change to PGWP eligibility in June and that the webpage was updated to clarify an existing requirement that eligible studies must lead to a degree, diploma or certificate from a designated learning institution.
“This longwithstanding requirement does not include general interest programs, ESL/FSL programs, and other types of non-credit programs,” IRCC stated.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab reinforced that position during a July 28 news conference.
"It has always been the case that non-credit are not entitled to these PGWP," Diab said, adding that the government had not changed the eligibility requirement.
IRCC spokesperson Briannah Dale later said the clarification was made following feedback from stakeholders and said the department has worked with provinces and territories to provide institutions with information about PGWP eligibility.
Some of the affected graduates began their programs in 2024, before the latest language appeared on the federal website. Students have questioned why some graduates from what they describe as the same programs received permits while others were refused.
LiveWire Calgary reported that one affected student said approximately 50 students had received PGWP approvals, while hundreds of others received refusal letters.
Portage College has acknowledged that graduates from some of its non-credit programs have received PGWP refusals.
The college said it has contacted immigration authorities for clarification but stressed that IRCC alone determines eligibility and that the college cannot overturn immigration decisions or guarantee a student will receive a work permit. It has urged affected graduates to seek advice from licensed immigration lawyers or regulated immigration consultants.
The issue comes after several years of broader federal changes to Canada's international student and PGWP systems.
In 2024, Ottawa ended PGWP eligibility for students beginning programs delivered by private colleges through public-private curriculum licensing arrangements after May 15 of that year. Students who began those programs before the cutoff could remain eligible provided they met all other requirements.
Additional rules took effect on Nov. 1, 2024. Most new PGWP applicants became subject to minimum English or French language requirements, while graduates of many college and other non-degree programs became subject to field-of-study requirements designed to direct graduates toward occupations facing long-term labour shortages.
The federal government's current designated learning institution database lists Portage College as a public institution with PGWP-eligible programs at its Lac La Biche, Cold Lake and St. Paul locations. The Calgary CIOT location is not listed as a Portage College campus on the database.
The political response has so far offered little indication that Ottawa plans to reverse the refusals.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said at a July 30 news conference in Red Deer that he was not familiar with the specific Calgary protest but said immigration rules and enforcement processes must be followed.
"If people are here and don't have authorization to stay [...] there's a process that would be followed," Carney said.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also said international students should not assume studying in Canada guarantees permanent residency, while acknowledging concerns that some private education operators have taken advantage of international students.
Protest organizers have pushed back against that characterization, saying their demonstration is about access to the post-graduation work permits they expected to receive, rather than a demand for permanent residency.
"We're asking for the opportunity to get Canadian experience through the work permit," protest organizer Jaskirat Kaur told LiveWire Calgary.
The demonstrations took another turn on Aug. 12, when several videos began circulating on social media showing Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers attending the Calgary protest site.
CBSA later confirmed they were contacted by Calgary police in response to complaints regarding excessive noise and public disturbances. CBSA officers performed an immigration-status check on 20 students, 12 of whom were identified as being possibly inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
“The individuals were asked to attend the CBSA office later that day for a follow-up interview. Due to privacy legislation, no additional details on these cases will be provided,” said the CBSA spokesperson.
For students who find themselves ineligible for the PGWP, IRCC advises to explore other options.
“Other work permit options may be available under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program, depending on their circumstances,” IRCC stated. “Foreign nationals can answer a few questions here and determine what type of work permit they may be eligible to apply for.”
