Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)

Work obtained through the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program may help support your application to become a permanent resident of Canada

The post-graduation work permit allows students who have graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution to gain valuable Canadian work experience.

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You can apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) from inside Canada or from another country, as long as you’re eligible.

You have up to 180 days to apply for a PGWP after you get your

  • degree or diploma
  • transcript or
  • official letter from your school

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 your study permit expires before you apply

If you don’t change your status to visitor and your study permit expires, you have up to 90 days after your study permit expires to apply for a PGWP and restore your status as a student.

To obtain a post-graduation work permit, the applicant must currently hold valid temporary status or have left Canada. They must have graduated from an eligible designated learning institution (DLI). They must also submit clear evidence that they meet all of the following criteria:

  • They have completed an academic, vocational or professional training program at an eligible institution in Canada that is at least 8 months in duration leading to a degree, diploma or certificate.
  • They have maintained full-time student status in Canada during each academic session of the program or programs of study they have completed and submitted as part of their post-graduation work permit application.
  • They have received a transcript and an official letter from the eligible DLI confirming that they have met the requirements to complete their program of study.

Within 180 days of the date of applying for the post-graduation work permit, applicants must also meet one of the following criteria:

  • They hold a valid study permit.
  • They held a study permit.
  • They were authorized to study in Canada without the requirement to obtain a study permit.

If your program was less than 8 months

You aren’t eligible for a PGWP.

If your program was at least 8 months, but less than 2 years

You may be eligible for PGWP that’s valid for up to the same length as your study program.

For example, if you completed a 9-month program, you may get a work permit for up to 9 months.

If your program was 2 years or more

You may get a PGWP that’s valid for 3 years.

If you completed more than 1 program

You may be able to get a PGWP that combines the length of each program.

Each of the programs you completed must be

  • PGWP-eligible and
  • at least 8 months in length

You can’t get a PGWP if you already had one after completing an earlier program of study.

Eligibility Criteria

To obtain a post-graduation work permit, the applicant must currently hold valid temporary status or have left Canada. They must have graduated from an eligible designated learning institution (DLI). They must also submit clear evidence that they meet all of the following criteria:

  • They have completed an academic, vocational or professional training program at an eligible institution in Canada that is at least 8 months in duration leading to a degree, diploma or certificate.
  • They have maintained full-time student status in Canada during each academic session of the program or programs of study they have completed and submitted as part of their post-graduation work permit application.
  • They have received a transcript and an official letter from the eligible DLI confirming that they have met the requirements to complete their program of study.

Within 180 days of the date of applying for the post-graduation work permit, applicants must also meet one of the following criteria:

  • They hold a valid study permit.
  • They held a study permit.
  • They were authorized to study in Canada without the requirement to obtain a study permit.

Length of PGWP

If your program was less than 8 months

You aren’t eligible for a PGWP.

If your program was at least 8 months, but less than 2 years

You may be eligible for PGWP that’s valid for up to the same length as your study program.

For example, if you completed a 9-month program, you may get a work permit for up to 9 months.

If your program was 2 years or more

You may get a PGWP that’s valid for 3 years.

If you completed more than 1 program

You may be able to get a PGWP that combines the length of each program.

Each of the programs you completed must be

  • PGWP-eligible and
  • at least 8 months in length

You can’t get a PGWP if you already had one after completing an earlier program of study.

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