‘Not fair’: Edmonton international students ask why post-graduate work permits denied
Posted July 21, 2026 8:43 am.
At least five international students who came to Edmonton for an education say they were unfairly denied a post-graduate work permit.
Lovepreet Singh came to Canada through a study permit in 2024 to attend a two-year Educational Assistant program at Edmonton’s Campbell College. It was advertised on its website as “a career-focused post-secondary institution committed to delivering practical, industry-aligned education.”
Campbell partners with Portage College, which is a public institution based in Lac La Biche, to deliver some courses.
“We belong to middle-class families,” Singh told CityNews. “My parents worked so hard for it. They paid my fees. After that, I worked here for one year and paid my fees myself.”
Singh and his classmates say they were told by multiple parties, including immigration consultants and Portage College, they would be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) once they complete their studies.
A few months after submitting applications, they say they were denied because their program is a “non-credit” program, meaning students are taking courses but not working towards a traditional degree. However, some students in the same program were reportedly approved.
They believe the rules were changed to limit these programs after their applications were sent.
Now, the students who have been denied have 90 days to leave Canada.
“They should have to change their decision because this is not right,” said Gurpreet Singh, a classmate who was also denied. “According to their rules, they are going against their own laws.
“If they announce something new, that should not apply to the earlier ones.”
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada tells CityNews there have been no changes to the eligibility criteria for the PGWP Program.
“We updated our PGWP webpage in June 2026 to clarify the existing eligibility requirements related to non-credit programs of study,” a statement reads. “To be eligible for a PGWP, applicants must complete a program of study that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate from a designated learning institution (DLI). This longstanding requirement does not include general interest programs, ESL/FSL programs, and other types of non-credit programs.”
Both Portage College and Campbell College are listed as DLIs on the government website.
A spokesperson for Campbell College tells CityNews its partnership with Portage ended in April when the federal government started regulating partnerships with public and private colleges.
The college says this is the first time it’s heard of students being denied without a specific reason, estimating about 10 per cent of their students in the April grad class were denied work permits who used the Portage partnership.
Campbell College is now directing impacted students to Portage, who are leading the supports.
“Portage College has no involvement in the review, assessment, or determination of individual immigration applications,” the institution said in a statement.
“Regardless of the outcome of their application, graduates with questions about their immigration options are encouraged to seek advice from a licensed immigration lawyer or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. To help graduates access professional guidance, the College has provided contact information for an independent immigration consultant on its PGWP information webpage.”
Those who have been denied are continuing to fight to hopefully remain in Canada and work towards a better life.
“In India, we had limited opportunities. But here, everybody gets a proper chance at every place,” said Lovepreet Singh.
