Portage College responds to Indian students' PGWP refusals, advising affected graduates to seek authorised immigration advice.
Students claim eligible programmes were rejected, leaving them without work permits after paying substantial tuition fees.
Protests continue as students demand work opportunities, while consultant launches petition supporting affected international students.
Work Permit Row: Canada’s Portage College Asks Indian Students To Seek Legal Advice Amid Protests
Indian students protest PGWP refusals in Canada as Portage College says immigration authorities decide eligibility and advises affected graduates to seek authorised legal guidance
Summary
Portage College in Canada has issued a statement after Indian students continued protests over the refusal of their post-graduation work permit (PGWP) applications, saying it is in touch with immigration authorities and advising affected students to consult authorised immigration experts.
In a statement issued on July 20, the college said it was aware that some graduates of certain non-credit programmes had received refusals for their PGWP applications, including applications supported by letters issued by the college.
"Students seeking advice should consult either an authorized immigration lawyer or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. We will continue working throughout the week to gather more information," the college said.
The college also said that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) alone decides eligibility for post-graduation work permits.
"Portage College is aware that some graduates of certain non-credit programs have received refusals of their Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applications, including applications that included a letter issued by the College. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assesses each application individually and is solely responsible for determining eligibility and issuing immigration decisions. Portage College does not make immigration decisions, act as a representative in individual immigration matters, participate in legal proceedings on behalf of students, or guarantee that a program, document, or letter will result in any particular immigration outcome," the statement said as reported by Times of India.
The college also reiterated that it had not guaranteed that any programme would result in a post-graduation work permit.
Why Are Students Protesting?
Since late June 2026, international students at the college, most of them Indian, have been receiving refusals for their PGWP applications after Canadian immigration authorities ruled that the programmes they completed were not eligible for work permits.
According to the refusal letters, the completed programmes were classified as non-credit programmes and therefore did not meet the criteria for work authorisation.
"The completed (for example: Business Management Diploma Program) is a non-credit program, as such the program does not meet the criteria for work authorization under R205(c)(ii). Application refused under R200(1)(c)(ii)," the refusal letters stated.
The students, however, said they enrolled at Portage College because both the college and the programmes were listed as eligible at the time of admission. They said they paid tuition fees of more than 15,000 Canadian dollars a year and are now being told they are ineligible for work permits and must leave Canada.
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The protesting students also claimed that IRCC changed a rule on its website without publishing it in the Canada Gazette. According to them, students who enrolled in 2023 and 2024 are now being affected by a rule that appeared later on the IRCC website.
As protests continued, Canadian immigration consultant Dimple Verma launched a petition seeking support for the affected international students.
The students said they were not seeking permanent residency in Canada but only the opportunity to work after completing two years of study and paying their tuition fees.
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