Canada prohibited flagpoling for Post-Graduation Work Permit applicants

On June 21, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced a change to the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) application process. Foreign nationals will no longer be eligible to apply for a PGWP at the border, a move designed to curb the practice of “flagpoling.” Flagpoling refers to temporary residents of Canada circumventing regular waiting times for work or study permits by exiting and re-entering the country for immediate immigration services. This activity has been a drain on border resources, distracting officers, causing delays for travellers, and slowing the transit of goods. Around a fifth of all foreign nationals attempting to flagpole within the last year were PGWP applicants.