IRCC freezes PGWP-eligible fields of study for 2026

No fields of study will be added to or removed from the PGWP list in 2026. IRCC‘s field of study page says so, and the page was updated on January 15, 2026. The current table has 1,107 entries in six categories: healthcare and social services, STEM, education, trades, agriculture and agri-food, and transport (IRCC, checked October 16, 2026).

That gives you one calendar year of certainty when you pick a program. Use it with our PGWP page and our PGWP eligible programs guide.

Key Takeaways

• 2026 freeze: IRCC says it will not add or remove any eligible field this year.
• List size: 1,107 entries, with 594 in healthcare and social services and 314 in STEM.
• Degrees: bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates do not need a listed field.
• Study permit before November 1, 2024: you do not need a listed field.
• Co-op: from April 1, 2026, post-secondary students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for required placements.
• Your code: your program’s 6-digit CIP code decides, not its general label.

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What is the PGWP field-of-study freeze for 2026?

The freeze means the list of eligible CIP codes stays as it is through 2026. If your program’s code is on the list now, it is not being removed this year. If it is not, it is not being added this year.

The freeze follows big changes in 2025. On June 25, 2025, IRCC added 119 fields and removed 178, and the list was dated July 4, 2025. Students who applied for a study permit before June 25, 2025 keep a removed field if it was on the list when they applied.

What changed on April 1, 2026

As of April 1, 2026, post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for work placements that their program requires, such as co-ops and internships (IRCC notice, April 9, 2026). Secondary school students still need one.

You can take part in a placement as a post-secondary student if you meet all of these conditions (IRCC, updated May 1, 2026):

• Your study permit says you can work on campus.
• Your school gives you a letter confirming the placement is a requirement of your program.
• You have a valid study permit, or you applied to extend it before it expired.
• You study full time in a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional program.
• The work placement totals 50% or less of your study program.

There is no weekly hour limit for a placement. IRCC said it would withdraw eligible co-op permit applications that were still pending, so those students did not need to act. Read our working while studying page for the other work rules.

Which fields qualify for PGWP in 2026?

IRCC lists eligible programs by 6-digit CIP code in six categories. Healthcare and social services is by far the largest (IRCC, checked October 16, 2026).

Category	Entries on the list
Healthcare and social services	594
Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)	314
Education	69
Trade	66
Agriculture and agri-food	43
Transport	21

These programs were on the list when we checked: registered nursing (51.3801), practical nursing (51.3901), dental hygiene (51.0602), electrician (46.0302), welding (48.0508), civil engineering technology (15.0201), computer programming (11.0201), web design (11.0801) and logistics and supply chain management (52.0203). A code decides eligibility, not the sector name.

Our PGWP eligible programs guide has a longer table of codes that are and are not on the list.

How the field-of-study requirement works

Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates do not need a listed field. They qualify based on their degree, as long as the other conditions are met. The field requirement applies to other programs, such as college diplomas and certificates, if the study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024.

If you applied for your study permit before November 1, 2024, you do not need a listed field, whatever your program type. Ask your school’s international student office to confirm it in writing.

Your PGWP length follows your program. A program of 8 months up to under 2 years can give a PGWP of the same length, and a program of 2 years or more can give 3 years. Since February 15, 2024, a master’s program of at least 8 months can give 3 years, even if it is under 2 years (IRCC help centre).

Fields typically not on the PGWP-eligible list

Many general college business, arts and hospitality programs are not on the list. These codes were not on it when we checked on October 16, 2026:

• Business administration and management, general (52.0201)
• International business, trade and commerce (52.1101)
• Marketing, general (52.1401)
• Hospitality administration and management, general (52.0901)
• Human resources management (52.1001)
• Accounting (52.0301)
• Finance, general (52.0801)
• General studies (24.0102)

Not every business-related code is off the list. Digital marketing (52.1404) and logistics (52.0203) are on it, so check the code, not the program name.

How to check if your program qualifies

1. Confirm your school is a designated learning institution that is PGWP eligible, using IRCC’s list.
2. Ask the school for your program’s 6-digit CIP code and length, in writing.
3. Search IRCC’s currently eligible CIP codes page for that exact code.
4. Confirm the program is at least 8 months and that you can study full time every semester.
5. Check your language plan: CLB 7 for university programs and CLB 5 for college programs, in all four skills.
6. Keep the school’s written answer with your records before you pay a deposit.

For college programs, read our college and diploma PGWP guide. For the full rules and the timeline, read our PGWP rules guide.

How the field-of-study freeze affects your PR pathway

A PGWP gives you Canadian work experience, which routes such as the Canadian Experience Class count. The freeze does not change that route. Our study to PR page explains how study, work and permanent residence connect.

One change is only a proposal. IRCC consulted from April 23 to May 24, 2026 on merging the Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience and Federal Skilled Trades classes into one federal high skilled program. The final consultation report is published, but IRCC has announced no decision, and the three programs run as usual.

The student numbers are also falling. IRCC data shows new student arrivals from January to July 2026 were 80% lower than in the same months of 2024 (IRCC, data as of July 31, 2026).

What happens to the eligible list after 2026?

IRCC has not announced what happens to the list after 2026. It says eligible fields can change with the needs of the labour market. If you start a program in 2026 that ends in 2027 or 2028, plan for the possibility that the list changes before you graduate.

Programs in healthcare, trades and STEM make up most of the current list. That is a reason for confidence, not a promise.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• PGWP eligible programs 2026: which programs qualify
• PGWP rules for 2026: what changed since 2024
• Best study programs for Canadian permanent residence
• Canada expands international student work rights in 2026

Not sure which route fits you? Start with our free Canada immigration assessment to see where you stand.

To check your program and your PR path before you commit, Book a Strategy Consultation.

Amir Ismail is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC #R412319) who has been associated with the immigration consulting industry since 1991.

Access more Study in Canada resources by Amir Ismail