What is a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)?

The Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit that allows international graduates to gain valuable Canadian work experience. This experience gives them an advantage while applying for Canada PR through Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, or any other immigration pathway. 

New Rules for the Post-Graduate Work Permit in Canada

If you will apply on or after November 1, 2024, the eligibility requirements for the Post Graduate Work Permit will undergo significant changes. These changes are listed below.

• If you have graduated with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, you must score at least CLB/NCLC 7 in language proficiency tests. 
• If your University program is anything other than a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, it must listed in the eligible field of study (given below). Moreover, you must also score a minimum CLB/NCLC 7 in language proficiency tests.
• In the case of any other college program, you will need to score CLB/NCLC 5 in language proficiency tests. 
• Academic courses in the field of tourism, hospitality, and business programs will not be eligible for PGWP. 

Complete List of Academic Courses Eligible for PGWP

You can apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit if you have completed one of the courses in the list below. 

Eligibility Requirements for the Post Graduate Work Permit Program (PGWP)

You must meet the following eligibility requirements to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit.

• Apply for the PGWP within 180 days after graduating.
• Have a valid study permit at some point in these 180 days. In case your study permit expires before getting the final marks, apply for a visitor record to extend your stay. Otherwise, you can apply for the PGWP from outside Canada. 
• You must have completed a study program from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI). DLIs are schools approved by the Canadian government to accept international students
• The academic program should be at least 8 months long. 
• If you completed a vocational training program from a Quebec public secondary DLI, it must be at least 900 hours long. 
• Similarly, if you graduated from a flight school or a private school in Quebec, the program length must be at least 900 hours.
• You must get a degree, diploma, or certificate after completing the program
• Throughout the program, you must be a full-time student in Canada. 

Documents Required for PGWP

• Passport
• Digital photo
• Recent Education Transcripts
• Completion of Studies Letter
• Language proficiency test results. (CELPIP, IELTS, or PTE-Core are accepted for English proficiency, and TCF and TEF are recognized for French language proficiency)
• Form IMM 1295
• Form IMM 5257

How to apply for the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)?

After you graduate from a Canadian DLI, you have 180 days to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit from Canada or outside the country. You can no longer apply for the PGWP at the Canadian Port of Entry.

• Keep all the mandatory documents ready.
• Sign in to the account through GCKey
• Complete the questionnaire to determine your eligibility for the Post Graduate Work Permit. 
• Upload mandatory documents. The maximum size for each document is 4 MB. Upload them in PDF, JPG, TIFF, PNG, DOC, or DOCX format.
• Pay the processing fee and submit the completed application for Post Graduate Work Permit. 

In case you are applying from outside Canada, IRCC will issue you a visitor visa if they approve your PGWP application. 

If you are applying within the country, you will need to apply for a visitor visa separately to return to Canada after traveling. Without a visitor visa, you will not be allowed to enter Canada even if you have a valid PGWP. 

Thus, a PGWP does not authorize you to enter Canada but only allows you to work in the country. 

How Long is PGWP valid in Canada?

The validity of your Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) depends on the level of your program and the validity of your passport. You must have a valid passport throughout the validity period of the PGWP.

Type of Academic Program	Validity of PGWP
Master’s degree program	3 years
In the case of a master’s from Quebec	3 years
Other programs	Same length as your study program. For example, if you completed a 1-year course, the validity of PGWP will be 1 year.
For a 2-year course	3 years
For multiple courses	IRCC may combine the length of each program you completed.

Working in Canada as an International Student 

After you apply for the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP), IRCC will send you a letter to confirm that you can work in Canada while they process your application. You can use this letter as an authorization to work in Canada. The validity of this letter is 120 days. 

You can work full-time in Canada while your application is being processed if:

• You had a valid study permit at the time of applying for PGWP
• Completed your academic course
• You are eligible to work off campus without a work permit 

Advantages of a Post-Graduate Work Permit

The most important advantage of a Post Graduate Work Permit is that it gives you an edge at the time of applying for Canada PR visa. Once you get Canadian work experience, you instantly become a desirable skilled worker who would not only support the country’s economy but will easily adjust to its lifestyle. Getting a PGWP can boost your chances of becoming a Canadian PR through pathways like Canadian Experience Class, Foreign Skilled Worker Program, Foreign Skilled Trades Program, and many others. 

Another major advantage of getting a Post Graduate Work Permit is that it makes your spouse or partner eligible for an open work permit in certain cases.