The Essential Guide for PGWP Application

You can start job hunting before getting your PGWP if you:

• Studied full-time at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in an eligible program.
• Finished your program of study.
• Stayed within the allowed work hours (both on-campus and off-campus).

Note: If your PGWP application is refused, you must stop working right away.

Graduating from a Canadian DLI does not automatically guarantee a PGWP. IRCC can refuse applications for various reasons.

• Required Documents: You must submit one of these:
  • An official letter from your DLI
  • An official transcript
  • A copy of your transcript from the DLI’s website
• Study Gaps: Unexplained gaps in your studies can lead to refusal. Ensure any break is formally authorized.
• Application Timing: Apply within 180 days of receiving your final grades. Late applications will be refused.
• Legal Status: Maintain a valid study permit during the 180-day application period. If your permit expires, you must restore your status or apply from outside Canada.

A PGWP can take anywhere from 80 to 180 days to process. While waiting for your PGWP, you are free to work in Canada provided you applied prior to the expiry date of your student permit.

Yes, If you leave Canada after your studies have been completed, you can now apply for a PGWP from overseas. Previously post-graduation work permit applications needed to be submitted exclusively from within Canada.

Ensure that your passport remains valid for the entire duration of your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

If your passport expires before your PGWP, we will:

• Issue a PGWP that is only valid until your passport’s expiration date.
• Inform you if you need to extend your PGWP to receive its full validity.

You can only extend your PGWP if we instruct you to do so. If this situation occurs, you must apply on paper to extend your PGWP to its full duration.

If your PGWP is nearing its expiration, you have two options:

1. Apply for a PGWP extension.
2. Apply for one of the various Permanent Residency programs available for graduates of Canadian learning institutions.

To determine if you qualify for an extension, please refer to our article on Work Permit Extension for PGWP Holders. If you need information on how to extend your PGWP, get in touch with us today.

You can only apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) once. If you plan to pursue another program that builds on your first, or if you’re thinking about enrolling in a longer degree program in Canada, it’s wise to consider the timing of your PGWP application. Applying after completing the longest period of study will give you a PGWP with a longer validity, up to a maximum of three years.

Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced on 21 June 2024 that, effective immediately, international students may no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the Canadian border.

To work in Canada after graduation, you’ll need a work permit. Graduates from specific designated learning institutions may qualify for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). If you’re not eligible for a PGWP, there may still be other ways for you to work in Canada after finishing your studies.

Degree graduates will remain eligible for PGWP of up to three years. However, after 1 November 2024, international students graduating from public college programmes will no longer be eligible for a three-year PGWP unless their work is linked to areas of high labour market demand, as designated by each province or territory.

CICan, the association representing Canada’s public colleges and institutes, issued this statement pointing out the potential damage to local communities:

“This announcement removes open eligibility for the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) program only for students going through Canada’s public colleges. It forces colleges to align with national labour market targets. This creates a fundamental disconnect between the pressing needs of local labour markets and the essential contributions of skilled international graduates from the over 10,000 diploma and degree programs in high demand fields across our network. And by making eligibility for the post-graduate work permit dependent on national labour market needs, the federal government will make it fundamentally impossible to align our programs to what our communities need.”