Who has to meet the field-of-study requirement?
You must meet it if your program does not lead to a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree and you submitted your study permit application on or after November 1, 2024. This covers most college diplomas and certificates, and university programs that do not end in a degree, such as many graduate certificates.
The rule looks at two things together: the type of credential you earn, and the date you applied for your study permit. A college diploma student who applied for a study permit in October 2024 is exempt. The same diploma, with a study permit applied for in January 2025, is not.
The rule is about the program you graduate from, not the school. A public college can offer some programs in eligible fields and others that are not.
Who is exempt from the field-of-study rule?
You are exempt if you graduated with a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, graduated from a PGWP-eligible flight school, applied for your study permit before November 1, 2024, or submitted your PGWP application before November 1, 2024.
Some details that matter:
- Extensions keep the exemption. If your first study permit application was before November 1, 2024, you stay exempt even if you extend that permit later.
- A new study permit application does not. If you held a study permit before November 1, 2024 but then submitted a new study permit application on or after that date (for example, to change schools), IRCC says you do not meet the exemption.
- College-to-university pathways. If you earn a bachelor’s degree from a university through a pathway program between two types of DLIs, such as college then university, you can follow the rules for bachelor’s degree graduates.
Which fields of study are eligible in 2026?
Eligible fields are grouped into six areas: agriculture and agri-food, education, health care and social services, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), trade, and transport. Within each area, only the specific 6-digit CIP codes on IRCC’s list count.
IRCC links these fields to jobs in long-term shortage in Canada. For 2026, IRCC says it will not add or remove any eligible fields. That gives some certainty for students applying this year, but the list can change again after 2026.
Some codes on IRCC’s table only count for study permit or PGWP applications made after a certain date (for example, after June 25, 2025), because they were added to the list later. Read the dates next to your code, not just the code itself.
Check your code on the IRCC field-of-study page. It has a search box for 6-digit codes and a full list by category.
What if the list changes after I start my program?
You are protected. Your program must be on the list either on the date you submitted your study permit application or on the date you submit your PGWP application. If it was eligible on either date, you meet the rule.
This is why you should save proof of what the list showed on the day you applied for your study permit. A screenshot of IRCC’s page with the date, plus your study permit application receipt, can save you a lot of trouble later if a code is removed.
How do I find my program’s CIP code?
Ask your school. Most DLIs publish CIP codes and PGWP eligibility on their program pages, and the international office can confirm the 6-digit code in writing.
You can also search the Statistics Canada CIP Canada 2021 catalogue. Be careful with this:
- Program titles can be broad. Read the description, examples and exclusions for the code.
- Your school’s official code matters more than your own guess.
- If the school gives no code, ask for one in writing before you apply for the PGWP.
How do I prove my field of study when I apply?
Ideally, your school shows the eligible CIP code on an official document, such as your letter of completion. Because of a system limit, IRCC asks you to upload this proof in the “Client information” section of your online application, not in the document checklist.
If the CIP code is missing from your school’s documents, IRCC’s instructions say you can include the eligible code yourself with a short explanation of how your program matches it. A clear letter from the school is still the stronger option.
Missing this proof is a real refusal risk. IRCC’s officer instructions give the exact example of a college diploma graduate who applied for their first study permit after November 1, 2024, did not graduate in an eligible field, and is refused. If you have already been refused, see our PGWP refusal guide.
The field of study is only one rule. You also need the language test and every rule in the full eligibility guide.