Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)
You are an International Student that graduated from a designated learning institution (DLI) and want to stay in Canada to work temporarily ? You may be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). It is an Open Work Permit meaning you can work Full time, Part time or be self-employed. Also note that it is exempt from LMIA. The nice advantage of the PGWP is that it gives the international graduate Canadian work experience and thus facilitates access to permanent residency.
How long is a post-graduation work permit valid?
How long your PGWP is valid for depends on the length of your study program.
- If your program was less than 8 months -> Not eligible
- If your program was at least 8 months, but less than 2 years -> Canada may give you a PGWP that is valid for up to the same length as your study program. (For example, if you completed a 9-month program, we may give you a work permit for up to 9 months.)
- If your program was 2 years or more -> Canada may give you a PGWP that is valid for 3 years.
Who can apply ?
You can apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) from inside Canada as long as you’re eligible.
You have up to 180 days after you graduate to apply for a PGWP. When you apply, you must confirm the following:
- that you attended and completed your program
- the name of your program and
- the length of your program
You can confirm these by submitting any of the following:
- your degree or diploma
- your transcript or
- an official letter from your school
To be eligible, your study permit must have been valid at some point during these 180 days.
Don’t let your status expire while you wait for your marks
If your study permit will expire before you get your marks, you have 2 options. You can
- apply for a visitor record to stay in Canada longer or
- leave Canada and apply for your PGWP
If you stay in Canada and let your permit expire, you must apply to restore your status as a student to apply for your PGWP. To restore your status, you must pay additional fees.
You can apply for a PGWP if
- your study permit has been valid within the last 180 days
- you have a valid visitor record
- you submitted an application to extend your study permit before it expired and no decision has been made on your application
- you submitted an application to change your status to visitor before your study permit expired and no decision has been made on your application
You must also have
- completed a study program
- at a designated learning institution (DLI)
- that was at least 8 months long and
- that led to a degree, diploma or certificate
- maintained full-time status as a student in Canada during each semester of your study program
- This doesn’t include your final semester, which can be part-time, or if you took an approved leave from your studies.
- If you had to stop studying or change to part-time studies between March 2020 and the fall semester in 2020 because of reasons related to COVID-19, you may still be eligible for a PGWP.
- graduated from one of the following:
- a public post-secondary institution, such as a college, trade/technical institution, university or CEGEP (in Quebec)
- a private post-secondary institution in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public institutions in Quebec
- a private or public secondary or post-secondary institution (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer, that leads to a diploma of vocational studies (DVS), or an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS);
- An AVS can be less than 900 hours if combined with a DVS.
- a Canadian private institution that is authorized to award degrees under provincial law (for example, an Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree), but only if you’re enrolled in a study program that leads to a degree as authorized by the province, which may not include all programs of study offered by the private institution.
Please click here for more information on PGWP.