Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applicants who completed their entire program online, even while physically based in Canada, sometimes worry that answering 'No' to the in-person learning question will hurt their application.
What group members said:- IRCC has not clearly clarified this exact scenario, according to group members — there isn't a definitive published answer covering every case of online study delivered while physically present in Canada.
- Being physically in Canada during your online studies is generally viewed as the key distinguishing factor. If you were living in Canada and took your classes online as the only available format (rather than choosing online study from abroad), members felt this should not be treated the same as studying remotely from outside the country.
Historical note: COVID-era policy allowed online study (from anywhere) to count toward PGWP eligibility for certain intake periods; those temporary exceptions have since ended, so don't assume older forum advice about 'online study counts' still applies without checking IRCC's current PGWP eligibility rules for your specific program dates.