Important Canada PGWP Information That International Students Must Know

Last Updated On 12 July 2024, 10:33 AM EDT (Toronto Time)

International students in Canada in eligible designated learning institutions (DLIs) can apply to get a post graduation work permit (PGWP) after completing their studies.

A post-graduation work permit is an open work permit that allows international graduates to work for almost any employer in Canada except for employers offering striptease, erotic dance, escort services, or erotic massages.

Some international students may become ineligible for PGWP due to one reason or another, despite being initially eligible for this open work permit.

So if you are a future international student, currently pursuing your studies, or about to complete your study program, then you must know important information about the post-graduation work permit to avoid missing this chance.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the PGWP, from eligibility requirements to application processes, ensuring you have all the information necessary to transition smoothly from student to professional in Canada.

What is the eligibility eriteria for PGWP?

Canada recently made some changes to PGWP eligibility criteria this year, so it is important to review the most recent eligibility criteria for PGWP.

To be eligible for a PGWP, you must meet several criteria:

Completed a Study Program at a DLI: You must have completed a study program at a DLI that lasted at least eight months and led to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
Full-Time Student Status: You must have maintained full-time student status in Canada during each academic session of the program(s) you completed.
- There are exceptions if you were on approved leave or studied part-time in your final semester.
Valid Study Permit: Your study permit must have been valid at some point during the 180 days before you applied for the PGWP.
- If your study permit was about to expire before the completion of your study program, then you must have a study permit extension application at least under processing with IRCC to apply for PGWP.
Specific Program Requirements: You need to meet the specific program requirements, which may include the nature and duration of your program.

Type of institution	Required length of program	Program outcome
Public post-secondary DLI, such asa college, a trade/technical institution, ora university	8 months or longer	Your program must lead to one of the following:a degree (associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate)a diploma or a certificate
Quebec public secondary DLI offers vocational training programs	900 hours or longer	Your program must lead to one of the following:a diploma of vocational studies (DVS)an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS)
Quebec collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP)	900 hours or longer	Your program must lead to one of the following:an attestation of college studies (ACS)a diploma of college studies (DCS)
Quebec provincially subsidized private post-secondary DLIorQuebec provincially subsidized private secondary DLI offering provincially subsidized vocational training programs	900 hours or longer	Your program must lead to one of the following:an attestation of college studies (ACS)a diploma of college studies (DCS)You must be enrolled in one of the provincially subsidized study programs. This may not include all study programs offered at the DLI.
Quebec flight school	8 months or longer, or 900 hours or longer	Your program must lead to one of the following:diploma of vocational studies (DVS)attestation of vocational specialization (AVS)diploma of college studies (DCS) and attestation of collegial studies (ACS)
Canadian private-designated learning institution authorized by the province to confer degrees.	n/a	Your DLI must be authorized by the province to confer degrees, includingan associate degreea bachelor’s degreea master’s degree ora doctorateYou must be enrolled in one of the study programs leading to a degree, as authorized by the province. This may not include all study programs offered by the private DLI.

Length of study program and PGWP eligibility criteria as per IRCC

What are the documents Needed for PGWP Application?

When applying for a PGWP, you will need to confirm that you attended and completed your program, including the name and length of the program.

You can confirm these by submitting any of the following documents:

Your degree or diploma
Your transcript
An official letter from your school

When is the right time to apply for PGWP?

You have up to 180 days after you receive your final marks to apply for a PGWP. It is crucial to ensure your study permit remains valid during this period.

If your study permit expires before you receive your final marks, you have two options:

Apply for a visitor record to stay in Canada longer.
Leave Canada and apply for your PGWP.

Alternatively, you can apply for status restoration if your study permit expires before you apply for PGWP.

If your study permit expires before you apply for PGWP

In the event that your study permit expires without being changed to visitor status, you will have ninety days to apply for a PGWP in order to restore your status as a student.

International students can restore their status within 90 days of status expiry by applying for PGWP online and paying a processing fee of $255 as well as a fee of $379 for status restoration.

Students cannot work until or unless IRCC approves a new study permit and work permit.

You must leave Canada if you didn’t apply within 90 days of status expiry.

Always remember that you need a valid study permit that is not expired at the time of submitting your PGWP application to work full-time after completing your studies while awaiting a decision on your PGWP application.

Affect On PGWP If Students Take Leave From Studies

International students become ineligible for PGWP if they take unauthorized leave from their study program since it is direct violation of their study permits.

However, they can take an authorized leave of up to 150 days during their studies if have a valid reason and still be eligible for PGWP.

Students must have a proof that this leave was officially authorized by the Designated Learning Institution (DLI).

It is important to understand that students with valid study permit cannot work on or off-campus during the authorized leave period.

What is considered as an authorized leave from studies?

As per IRCC below are some examples of authorized leaves:

DLI authorizes a leave from your studies for
- pregnancy or medical reasons
- a family emergency
- serious illness or death of a family member
- any other type of leave authorized by the DLI
DLI closes permanently or their is strike action
you have changed schools
Either you or your school defers the program start date
- In such a scenario, student must start their studies in the upcoming semester, irrespective of whether it starts earlier than 150 days, and also get a newly updated letter of acceptance.

Who Is Ineligible For PGWP?

You are not eligible for a PGWP if you:

Have a study permit that expired more than 180 days before you applied.
Already received a PGWP
Studied English or French as a second language.
Took general interest or self-improvement courses.
Participated in certain government-funded programs or scholarships.
Completed the majority of your program through distance learning.
Studied at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada.
Programs delivered by private career colleges on behalf of public PGWP-eligible institutions are now not eligible for a PGWP, with some exceptions based on the province and the start date of your program. Click here for more details.

Scenario in which you can extend your PGWP

PGWP is only issued either for the duration of your course (3 years in the case of Masters, PhD, and professional study programs) or until the validity of your passport.

If your passport expires before the duration of your PGWP, then IRCC issues a work permit that is only valid until the expiration of your passport.

In such a scenario, the IRCC may let you know that you are eligible to extend your PGWP until the full duration after getting a new passport.

Such students can apply on paper to extend their PGWP once they have their passport extended.

Final Tips for a Successful PGWP Application

Apply Early: Don’t wait until the last minute to apply. Ensure you have all your documents ready and submit your application as soon as you receive your final marks.
Don’t break law: Don’t break any law as this may deem you inadmissible based on the severity of your act and result in removal from Canada.
Stay Informed: Regulations and requirements can change, so keep yourself updated with the latest information from the IRCC website.
Maintain Legal Status: Make sure your study permit or visitor status is valid throughout your stay in Canada while awaiting your PGWP.

Which study programs are eligible for 3-year Post Graduation Work Permit irrespective of the duration of course?

International students graduating from master’s degree are eligible to apply for a 3-year PGWP even if the length of the study program is less than 2 years or even 1-year program.

Click here to see 1-year master’s program in Canada.

Affect on PGWP Eligibility if international students change their DLI

If you transferred between PGWP eligible designated learning institutions (DLIs), then the combined length of study program must be at least 8 months to be eligible for PGWP.

If you transferred from a non-DLI to a DLI, then only the time you spent studying at the PGWP eligible DLI will be counted and students must spend at least 8 months at the new DLI to be eligible for a PGWP.

Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC

Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant) licensed by CICC (formerly known as ICCRC) with member number R708618. He brings extensive knowledge of immigration law and new changes to rapidly evolving IRCC.