On September 27, 2016, Minister John McCallum established a public policy to facilitate the issuance of three-year open work permits, the restoration of Temporary Resident status and waive related fees for a group of former international students who were denied Post-Graduation Work Permits between September 1, 2014 and March 15, 2016 because they completed the majority of their coursework by distance learning in their final program of study.
To be eligible for consideration under the public policy, applications for a fee-exempt three-year open work permit (from inside or outside of Canada) and applications for restoration of status (if applicable) must be made by March 17, 2017.
For full details, OB 631 can be found here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2016/ob631.asp