Post Graduation Work Permit

Here are the eligibility requirements for a U.S. citizen or other foreign national to apply for a Canadian Post Graduation Work Permit:

• You must be 18 years of age or older
• Your application must be submitted within 180 days of completing your program of study
• You have (or had) a valid study permit or you have (or had) the authorization to study without a study permit
• Your study permit must have been valid at some point during the 180 days if applying from within Canada
• If applying from outside Canada you need to have been approved for a study permit
• The educational establishment you study at must be an eligible DLI. It is important to note that not all DLIs offer programs that meet PGWP requirements. You can check out a list of DLIs that offer PGWP-eligible programs on the Canadian government’s website here
• The duration of your program of study must be at least eight months
• Your program of study must be full-time (not counting your final semester)
• Your program of study must lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate
• Online or distance-learning courses are eligible if less than 50% of the course is by distance-learning or online
• Only a limited overseas component of the studies is permitted, the majority of learning must take place in Canada
• Transferring between eligible DLIs is acceptable if the combined study length is a minimum of 8 months and is continuous
• Provide confirmation by the DLI that you have completed all requirements of your program of study
• Graduation must be from one of the following:
  
  • A public post-secondary school, such as a college, trade/technical school, university, or CEGEP (in Quebec)
  • A private post-secondary school (in Quebec) that operates under the same rules as public schools in Quebec
  • A private secondary or post-secondary school (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer, that leads to a Diplôme d’études professionnelles (DEP—vocational studies diploma) or an Attestation de spécialisation professionnelle (ASP—vocational Studies Accreditation);
    An ASP can be less than 900 hours if combined with a DEP.
  • A Canadian private school that can award degrees under provincial law (for example, 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

You can apply for a PGWP online or by mail. Applying online is likely to be a faster process and you can be sure your application is complete before you submit it. In addition, any further documents that may be requested can be submitted faster via your online account.

To start your PGWP application online you will need to create an IRCC secure account. If you want to apply by mail, the application package for a PGWP can be requested through the IRCC website.

You will have to apply within 180 days of receiving confirmation from the DLI that your program of study is complete. After submitting the application, most applicants will need to provide their biometrics (fingerprints and photo).

Here are a few scenarios which may apply to you, in terms of where you should apply from and the steps to take to apply for a PGWP.

Your status is valid

If any of these are true you can apply from within Canada:

• Your study permit is still valid
• You have a valid visitor record, or:
• You are on implied status – i.e. you are waiting for a decision on changing or extending your status to student or visitor

Your study permit is invalid or has expired

If your study permit becomes invalid or expires you have two options:

• Leave Canada and apply for the PGWP from overseas, or
• Apply to restore your student status and then apply for the PGWP

You must apply to restore your student status within 90 days from when your study permit expires. Note that if you miss this deadline then you must leave Canada.

Study permit expiring before you get your marks

If your study permit is going to expire before you get your marks, you have two options:

• Apply for a visitor record to stay longer in Canada, or
• Leave Canada and apply for the PGWP from overseas

Expired passport

If your passport expires before the PGWP’s validity period, you will have the option of applying for a work permit extension when you renew your passport. This will then give you the full validity of your PGWP.

To apply for a Post Graduation Work Permit, you need to gather together supporting documentation, as follows:

• Passport
• Travel documents
• Photograph
• Current immigration document, if you have one
• Proof that you have completed your program of study (a degree or diploma, an official letter from your school, or a transcript)
• Documents to explain if any gaps in your studies were officially approved or not
• Documents to show if any part-time study (not including final term) was approved or not
• Documents to show if two programs were combined
• Documents supporting any accelerated learning
• Documentation explaining why you exceeded the allowable hours of work, if applicable
• Medical exam proof, if applicable

Additional documentation may be requested by the visa office that processes your application.

The validity period of a PGWP is directly related to the length of your study program:

• If your program of study is 8 months then your PGWP will be valid for 8 months
• If your program of study is between 8 months and 3 years the PGWP will in most cases be valid for the same length of time as your study program
• If you undertake more than one program of study the total time for each program can be combined (up to a maximum of 3 years)
• If you have accelerated your studies you can expect the PGWP to still be assessed on the length of the program of study

You have to pay the following fees when submitting your PGWP application:

• $255 CDN – IRCC PGWP fee which consists of:
  • $100 CDN – Open work permit holder fee
  • $155 CDN – Standard work permit fee
• $85 CDN – Biometrics fee, if applicable

Depending on whether you are applying from within Canada or overseas, the processing time for PGWP is approximately 2 to 3 months.

While waiting for the PGWP outcome, you are allowed to work in Canada so long as you submit the application before your student permit expires.

After receiving a PGWP refusal, you will need to restore your immigration status and give detailed explanation to IRCC for the concerns raised in the refusal. The PGWP application will need to be re-submitted within 180 days from the date when the study permit expired.

Here are a few of the more common reasons why a PGWP could be refused:

• Some or all of your study was part-time (not including the last semester)
• You have a gap in your studies and did not provide sufficient reasons for this in your application
• You studied at a school that was not eligible for PGWP
• More than 50% of your program of study was online / distance-learning
• When you applied your study permit had expired and you did not include the $200 restoration fee
• Your application was submitted outside of the 90 day status restoration period
• You did not include proof that your degree is conferred
• You worked without authorization during your studies
• IRCC made an error in your application processing

If your application for a PGWP is refused, you must stop working as soon as you receive the rejection letter.

We advise speaking with an immigration expert to receive assistance with your re-application so that you can maximize your chances of being granted the permit. Contact us now to speak with an immigration lawyer.

Applying for a PGWP involves a number of factors and considerations, as well as a body of evidence for the various requirements. If you are not familiar with Canadian immigration processes this can be confusing, and lead to a poorly prepared application.

At Total Law, we understand that there is much at stake when thinking about your next steps after graduating from Canada. Our immigration law firm provides professional legal services for Canadian immigration applications and provides a level of care and legal know-how that will stand you in the best position to achieve your immigration goals.

Contact us via our short online inquiry form, or give us a call on 0204 502 8582 to discuss the best way we can help you gain your PGWP or other Canadian permit.