February 16, 2021 – Update on the Winter 2021 Term for Full Time Post-Graduate Certificates
Dear Students,
I hope you’re finding your programs to be an engaging learning experience. Please note that full-time programs which began in January 2021 will be offered 100% online through to completion.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued updated guidelines on the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) 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.”
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. According to these current travel restrictions, to enter Canada as a student, you must meet 2 requirements:
- You must have a valid study permit or a letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit.*
- 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 very 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, please visit Quarantine Information for International Travellers – Travelling to Canada for Studies/Essential Reasons – York International (yorku.ca) and follow the steps outlined.
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 to us.
Stay well,
School of Continuing Studies