February 16, 2021 – Update on the Spring 2021 Term for Full Time Post-Graduate Certificates

Dear Students,  

Thank you for registering with York University for your Post-Graduate Certificate. Please note that full-time programs which begin in May 2021 will be offered 100% online through to completion. 

PGWP: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued updated guidelines on the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) as of February 15, 2021 to help international students.  The new rules state that “All your time studying online outside Canada between spring 2020 and December 31, 2021, counts toward the length of a PGWP.” 

While processing times in Canada’s Visa application Centres are reported to be improving, students may begin their studies online and remain eligible for PGWP if they have applied for a study permit prior to the beginning of the program. Please send confirmation of your application to our registration team via regscs@yorku.ca as soon as possible as this is a condition of starting the program. If you begin the program before your study permit has been fully approved, and your permit is later rejected, you will be eligible for a complete refund for any courses that have not yet started.  

Coming to Canada:

Due to the pandemic, we do not recommend that you travel at this time.

However, if you choose to come to Canada, York University has a robust support system in place for current students and students whose programs will begin in 4 weeks or less. As a student registered in our May 2021 cohort, we will be able to support you if you choose to travel to Canada on or after April 1, 2021.

According to these current travel restrictions, to enter Canada as a student, you must meet 2 requirements:

  1. You must have a valid study permit or a letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit. *
  2. You must be attending a designated learning institution (DLI) with a COVID-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory.**

*Stage 1 approval/AIP does not count as final approval.

**York University is pleased to let you know that our plan has been approved by provincial authorities and that we may now begin to welcome new and returning international students to the York community. 

You will be required to have health insurance prior to immigrating to Canada. Our office will contact you to enroll you into the GuardMe insurance package. 

To initiate the process of traveling to Canada, including requesting a travel support letter, please visit Quarantine Information for International Travellers – Travelling to Canada for Studies/Essential Reasons – York International (yorku.ca) and follow the steps outlined after March 15, 2021. Please note, that that page will be updated as regulations and requirements change.  

If you have any questions, we encourage you to access York’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage, which includes answers to FAQs as well as links to supporting resources.  For all other questions, please contact regscs@yorku.ca

As always, our student’s safety and educational experience is our top priority. We will provide you with relevant institutional and public health updates as soon as they become available.    

Stay well, 

 School of Continuing Studies