Key takeaways
- The field of study rule applies to college and other non-degree programs if you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024
- Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree graduates do not need to meet it
- IRCC’s list (last updated July 4, 2025) has 1,107 entries covering 1,096 different CIP codes in 6 groups
- For 2026, IRCC says it will not add or remove any eligible fields of study
- General business, accounting, finance and marketing codes are not on the list
- Your school can tell you your program’s CIP code; ask it before you apply
What is the PGWP field of study rule?
A post-graduation work permit (PGWP) is an open work permit for people who graduate from an eligible program at a designated learning institution (DLI). Since November 1, 2024, some graduates must also meet a field of study requirement.
IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) links eligible fields to jobs in “long-term shortage” in Canada. Each field is a 6-digit CIP code. CIP stands for Classification of Instructional Programs. IRCC uses CIP Canada 2021, which Statistics Canada publishes.
To meet the rule, your program’s CIP code must be on IRCC’s list of currently eligible codes. It must be on the list when you submit either your study permit application or your PGWP application.
The field of study rule is only one PGWP requirement. You also need an eligible program of at least 8 months, full-time study and a language test result. Check all the rules in the PGWP eligibility checker.
Who has to meet it, and who does not?
As of October 2026, IRCC says you do not need to meet the field of study requirement if any of these apply:
- You graduated with a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree
- You applied for your study permit before November 1, 2024
- You submitted your PGWP application before November 1, 2024
- You graduated from a PGWP-eligible flight school
In practice, the rule mainly affects students in college diplomas, certificates and graduate certificates (often called post-graduate diplomas) who applied for their study permit on or after November 1, 2024.
| Your situation | Field of study rule? |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree at a university | No |
| Master’s or PhD | No |
| College diploma, study permit applied for on or after November 1, 2024 | Yes |
| Graduate certificate, study permit applied for on or after November 1, 2024 | Yes |
| Any program, study permit applied for before November 1, 2024 | No |
How many fields are on the list, by group?
We counted every row in IRCC’s table of currently eligible CIP codes (page last updated July 4, 2025, checked October 10, 2026). The table has 1,107 entries in 6 groups. Eleven codes appear in two groups, so there are 1,096 different codes.
| IRCC field group | Entries | Of which have a date condition | Main CIP series in the group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social services | 594 | 49 | 51 Health professions (183), 61 Medical residency (188), 60 Health residency (139), 42 Psychology (30) |
| Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) | 314 | 17 | 26 Biology (63), 14 Engineering (58), 40 Physical sciences (45), 30 Multidisciplinary (32), 11 Computer science (30), 15 Engineering technology (23) |
| Education | 69 | 48 | 13 Education (63), 19 Child care and family studies (4), 05 Area and group studies (2) |
| Trade | 66 | 14 | 46 Construction trades (24), 47 Mechanic and repair (19), 48 Precision production (10), 15 Engineering technology (5) |
| Agriculture and agri-food | 43 | 0 | 01 Agriculture (40), 31 Parks and recreation (2), 12 Culinary (1) |
| Transport | 21 | 0 | 49 Transportation (12), 47 Mechanic and repair (6), 52 Business (2), 44 Public administration (1) |
| Total | 1,107 | 128 | – |
Health care looks very large because 327 of its entries (series 60 and 61) are residency and fellowship programs for doctors and other health professionals. Those are not college programs. For college students, the most useful codes are in series 51 (health professions), 11 and 15 (computing and engineering technology), 46 to 48 (trades), 13 and 19 (education and child care) and 49 (transport).
What does a “date condition” mean?
For 128 entries, IRCC’s search tool says the program is eligible only if you submitted your study permit application (or your PGWP application) before November 1, 2024 or after a later date. These are codes IRCC added to the list after the rule started:
- 119 entries show “after June 25, 2025”
- 9 entries show “after December 17, 2024”
Most early childhood education, teaching, social work and some trade and engineering technology codes are in this group. The rule looks at either application date. So a student who applied for a study permit during the gap may still qualify, if the PGWP application is submitted after the code was added. If this is you, read IRCC’s field of study page carefully.
2026 freeze. IRCC says: “For 2026, we won’t add or remove any eligible fields of study.” IRCC’s current page does not list any codes as removed. The list can change again after 2026.
Are common college programs on the list?
We checked some popular fields against IRCC’s table. The code is what matters, not the program name. Two programs with the same name can have different codes at different schools.
| CIP code | CIP 2021 title (short) | IRCC group | On the list? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11.0101 | Computer and information sciences, general | STEM | Yes |
| 11.1003 | Computer and information systems security | STEM | Yes |
| 30.7001 | Data science, general | STEM | Yes |
| 15.1202 | Computer systems technology/technician | STEM | Yes |
| 50.0409 | Graphic design | STEM | Yes |
| 52.1201 | Management information systems, general | STEM | Yes |
| 51.3801 | Registered nursing | Health care | Yes |
| 51.3901 | Licensed practical nurse training | Health care | Yes |
| 51.0801 | Medical/clinical assistant | Health care | Yes |
| 44.0701 | Social work, general | Health care | Yes, with date condition |
| 13.1210 | Early childhood education and teaching | Education | Yes, with date condition |
| 46.0302 | Electrician | Trade | Yes |
| 48.0508 | Welding technology/welder | Trade | Yes |
| 12.0500 | Cooking and related culinary arts, general | Trade | Yes, with date condition |
| 49.0205 | Truck and bus driver/commercial vehicle operator | Transport | Yes |
| 52.0203 | Logistics, materials, and supply chain management | Transport | Yes |
| 52.0201 | Business administration and management, general | – | No |
| 52.0301 | Accounting | – | No |
| 52.0801 | Finance, general | – | No |
| 52.1401 | Marketing/marketing management, general | – | No |
Only 13 entries on the whole list come from CIP series 52 (business, management and marketing). That matters if you plan a business diploma or certificate. See the most popular college programs for enrolment data.
How to find and check your program’s CIP code
- Ask your school. IRCC says most DLIs show PGWP eligibility and CIP codes on their website. If the code is not listed, IRCC says to contact the school.
- Check the code on IRCC’s list. Use IRCC’s search box or its full table of currently eligible codes. Search for the full 6-digit code, such as 51.3901.
- Check the date column. If the result shows a date condition, compare it with the dates you applied for your study permit and plan to apply for your PGWP.
- Keep proof. IRCC has special instructions for showing that you graduated in an eligible field when you apply online.
- Check the other rules. Program length, language level and the school’s PGWP status matter too. See how to choose a DLI.
If the code is not on the list and you are not exempt, the program will not lead to a PGWP. That affects your plans to work and to move from a study permit to PR.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trusting the program name. “Business analytics” can be coded as business (not listed) or as a data or computing field (listed). Only the code counts.
- Using an agent’s list. Lists on agent and blog sites go out of date. Use IRCC’s page.
- Forgetting the language test. Graduates of college programs need CLB 5 in all four skills; university graduates need CLB 7.
- Assuming a graduate certificate is a degree. A post-graduate certificate or diploma is not a master’s degree, so the field of study rule applies.
- Ignoring partnership campuses. Programs at a private college under a public college’s curriculum licensing arrangement are generally not PGWP-eligible, with limited exceptions.