Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

APPLY FOR A POST-GRADUATION WORK PERMIT

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 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

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 restore your status as a student, you must:

apply online for your PGWP and pay the correct fee ($255) and
pay the fee to restore your status as a student ($350)
- Because of system limitations, you must pay the fees to restore your status as a student online and attach a copy of the receipt to your PGWP online application. You don’t need to make a separate application to restore your status as a student.

You can’t work until your study permit and work permit have been approved.

If you don’t apply within the 90 days, or if the 90 days have already passed, you must leave Canada.

Get your documents ready

Before you can apply for a PGWP, you need one of the following to prove you’ve completed your studies:

a degree or diploma
an official letter from your school
an official transcript, or a copy of your transcript from your school’s website

We may request other documents once we receive your application.

How you can apply for a PGWP depends on where you’re applying from. In most cases, you must apply online.

Learn More

Graduation from a DLI doesn’t automatically make you eligible for a PGWP. Check the DLI list to find out which schools have eligible programs.

Check the DLI list

What is a Post-Graduation Work Permit?(PGWP)

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is a Canadian immigration program that allows international students who have completed eligible post-secondary programs in Canada to obtain an open work permit after graduation.

This open work permit allows them to gain valuable work experience in Canada, which can potentially lead to permanent residence in the country.

Here are some key features and eligibility criteria for the Post-Graduation Work Permit program:

Eligible Institutions: To be eligible for a PGWP, you must have completed a full-time program of study at a designated learning institution in Canada. These institutions include universities, colleges, and certain other educational institutions.
Program Duration: The length of the PGWP depends on the duration of the program you completed. Generally, if your program was at least eight months but less than two years in duration, you may be eligible for a PGWP of up to the length of your program. If your program was two years or more, you could be eligible for a three-year PGWP.
Timely Application: To be eligible, you must apply for the PGWP within 180 days (6 months) of receiving written confirmation from your institution that you have completed your program of study and are eligible to obtain your degree, diploma, or certificate.
Full-Time Study: You must have studied full-time during each academic session of your program, except for the final academic session when part-time study may be permitted.
Valid Study Permit: You must have a valid study permit when you apply for the PGWP.
No Prior PGWP: You are typically only eligible for one PGWP in your lifetime, so you should use it wisely.

The PGWP is highly valuable for international students as it allows them to work in Canada without needing a specific job offer and gain Canadian work experience, which can enhance their eligibility for permanent residency through various immigration pathways, such as the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

APPLY FOR A POST-GRADUATION WORK PERMIT

Get your documents ready

Learn More

What is a Post-Graduation Work Permit?(PGWP)

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