Work In Canada Post Completion of Studies

 

 

Working in Canada Post completion of studies is called Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). It is granted based on which Institution did you complete your course from, and if wish to stay in Canada temporarily post completion of the your studies to work.

 

Check the DLI list to find out which schools have eligible programs. You have 180 days after you get your final marks to apply for a PGWP.

Don’t let your status expire while you wait for your marks

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 you stay in Canada and let your permit expire, you must apply to restore your status as a student to apply for your PGWP. To restore your status, you must pay additional fees.

How long is a post-graduation work permit valid?

How long your PGWP is valid for depends on the length of your study program.

If your program was less than 8 months

You aren’t eligible for a PGWP.

If your program was more than 8 months but less than 2 years

We may give you a PGWP that’s valid for up to the same length as your study program.

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

If your program was 2 years or more

We may give you 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

You have 180 days after you get your final marks to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

To be eligible, your study permit must have been valid at some point during these 180 days.

Don’t let your status expire while you wait for your marks

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 you stay in Canada and let your permit expire, you must apply to restore your status as a student to apply for your PGWP. To restore your status, you must pay additional fees.

You can apply for a PGWP if:

·       your study permit is still valid

·       you have a valid visitor record

·       you submitted an application to extend your study permit before it expired and no decision has been made on your application

·       you submitted an application to change your status to visitor before your study permit expired and no decision has been made on your application

You must also have

·       completed a study program

o   at a designated learning institution

o   that was at least 8 months long and

o   that led to a degree, diploma or certificate

·       maintained full-time status as a student in Canada during each semester of your study program

o   this doesn’t include your final semester, which can be part-time, or if you took an approved leave from your studies

·       graduated from one of the following:

o   a public post-secondary school, such as a college, trade/technical school, university or CEGEP (in Quebec)

o   a private post-secondary school (in Quebec) that operates under the same rules as public schools in Quebec

o   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) or an attestation de spécialisation professionnelle (ASP)

§  an ASP can be less than 900 hours if it’s combined with a DEP

o   a Canadian private school that can award degrees under provincial law (for example, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree), but only if you’re enrolled in a study program that leads to a degree as authorized by the province

Exceptions

You aren’t eligible for a PGWP if you

·       already received a PGWP

·       studied English or French as a second language

·       took general interest or self-improvement courses

·       participated in the Government of Canada Awards Program funded by Global Affairs Canada

·       had funding from Global Affairs Canada

o   Note: If you got a Study in Canada scholarship, you’re still eligible for a PGWP.

·       got the Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada-Chile

·       participated in the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchanges Program

·       participated in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program

·       completed the majority of a study program by distance learning (online courses, e-learning or correspondence)

·       completed a study program at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada

If your passport expires before your PGWP should have

Make sure your passport is valid for the entire length of time your PGWP would be.

If your passport expires earlier than your PGWP would, we

·       issue you a PGWP that’s only valid until your passport expires

·       tell you if you need to extend it to get the full validity of your PGWP

You can only extend a PGWP if we tell you that you can. If this happens, you have to apply on paper to extend your PGWP for it to be extended to its full length.