Field of study requirements

You don’t need to meet the field of study requirement if one of the following applies to you:

• You submitted your PGWP application before November 1, 2024, regardless of level of study.
• You graduated from a PGWP-eligible flight school.
• You graduated with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral degree.
• You graduated from any other program of study you started before November 1, 2024.
  • If you changed your program and then completed it, you must provide proof that you changed programs before November 1, 2024.

If you don’t meet one of the exceptions above, use the table below to check if your program is eligible for a PGWP.

The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) is used to classify post-secondary education programs according to field of study in Canada.

Follow these steps to find more information about the CIP codes and see if a program you’re interested in or planning on pursuing is eligible for a PGWP.

1. Go to the Statistics Canada webpage for the 2021 CIP (opens in a new tab) .
2. Search for keywords related to your program, based on the title and description, in the search bar above the table section and select the 6-digit code (class) most applicable to your program.
   • Program titles can be broad. Review and refer to the class description, illustrative examples and exceptions to ensure your program matches the given class.

3. To be eligible for a PGWP, your program needs to belong to one of the 6-digit CIP codes listed in the table on this page.

   Or

1. Go to the Statistics Canada webpage for the 2021 CIP (opens in a new tab) .
2. Navigate through the available 2-digit codes (series) links in the main table and choose the one that is most applicable to your program. If you’re not sure which 2-digit code (series) is most relevant, use the “display definitions” button above the table to learn more about each subseries.
3. Choose the relevant 4-digit code (subseries) most aligned to your program.
   • If you’re not sure which 4-digit code (subseries) is most relevant, use the “display definitions” button above the table to learn more about each subseries.
4. On the final table page, you’ll see a list of 6-digit codes (classes). Review the classes that may align with your program and select the class that is most applicable to your program.
   • Program titles can be broad. Review and refer to the class description, illustrative examples and exceptions to ensure your program matches the given class.
5. To be eligible for a PGWP, your program needs to belong to one of the 6-digit CIP codes listed in the table on this page.

Contact your DLI for more information about the program and applicable 6-digit CIP codes if you have any questions.

Learn more about CIP Canada and how it’s used (opens in a new tab) .