By: Maryrose Villena
Some international students are in programs they do not like for the sake of getting a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
This situation keeps Hanah Kyle Hornilla awake at night.
“I’m not happy. There is no choice, but I don’t tell my parents that,” the 19-year-old said.
Hornilla is a first-year logistics and supply management student at Red River College Polytechnic. Her program is eligible for a PGWP.
A PGWP allows international students to work after studying.
The federal government announced in 2024, international students applying for a study permit after Nov. 1 are required to study in a program from the PGPW-eligible list (if they want a work permit), according to their website.
Hornilla wanted to take radiation therapy at the University of Winnipeg. It’s eligible for a PGWP, but it would have cost her family almost $140,000 for the four-year program. Financially, the dream was not realistic for their family.
“You know, in my mind I was going to be a radiation technologist in the future,” she said.
Her parents want her to get a job and apply for permanent residency as quickly as possible. So, they offered her choices: logistics and supply management or aircraft maintenance engineer. She opted to take logistics and supply management for two years.
Most international students can use the student stream to get a PGWP and eventually apply for residency and a citizenship, according to the federal government’s website.
Hornilla’s mother was supposed to be in Canada but due to work permit restrictions, her parents told her they didn’t have a choice. They asked her to become an international student and sponsor them in the future. She thought of shifting to marketing as a last resort to feel happy with school, but it’s not PGWP-eligible.
Sam Le, 20, is a Vietnamese international student who originally planned to enrol in science and laboratory technology — a two-year program, but it’s not eligible for PGWP.
Le explains that he’s going to take welding for one year instead to have PGWP after graduating. With this, he can at least graduate quicker and get an in-demand job after finishing his studies.
“I plan to stay here and get permanent residence,” Le said.
