Post-graduation work permit (PGWP)
You may be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) if you graduated from a designated learning institution (DLI) and want to stay in Canada temporarily to work.
Graduation from a DLI doesn’t automatically make you eligible for a PGWP.
How much of your outside Canada studies count toward a PGWP?
You can complete up to 100% of your studies online from outside Canada.
All of the time you spent studying online from outside Canada between spring 2020 and August 31, 2022, counts toward the length of a PGWP. This applies even if you’re completing 2 study programs.
If you’re completing 2 study programs, you can finish 100% of your studies online if the programs were ongoing or started between March 2020 and summer 2022, and
– both study programs are with an eligible DLI and are completed within 2 years, and
– each program meets all PGWP eligibility requirements and is at least 8 months long
The following time won’t count toward the length of a PGWP:
– time spent studying outside Canada after August 31, 2022
– time spent studying before you applied for a study permit
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 at least 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
Inside Canada graduates
You can apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) from inside Canada 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
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 has been valid within the last 180 days
– 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
*at a designated learning institution
*that was at least 8 months long and
*that led to a degree, diploma or certificate
– maintained full-time status as a student in Canada during each semester of your study program
*This doesn’t include your final semester, which can be part-time, or if you took an approved leave from your studies.
*If you had to stop studying or change to part-time studies between March 2020 and the fall semester in 2020 because of reasons related to COVID-19, you may still be eligible for a PGWP.
– graduated from one of the following:
*a public post-secondary institution, such as a college, trade/technical institution, university or CEGEP (in Quebec)
*a private post-secondary institution in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public institutions in Quebec
*a private or public secondary or post-secondary institution (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer, that leads to a diploma of vocational studies (DVS), or an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS);
.An AVS can be less than 900 hours if combined with a DVS.
*a Canadian private institution that is authorized to award degrees under provincial law (for example, an 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, which may not include all programs of study offered by the private institution.
Exceptions to the eligibility requirements
You aren’t eligible for a PGWP if you
-have a study permit that expired more than 180 days before you applied
-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 received funding from Global Affairs Canada
*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 major part of a study program through distance learning (online courses, e-learning or correspondence)
-completed a study program at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada
Outside Canada graduates
You can apply for a PGWP from outside Canada as long as you’re eligible and you’ve been approved for a study permit. You don’t have to have held a valid study permit at any point during your online studies from outside Canada.
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
You can apply for a PGWP if you
-were enrolled in a program that was in progress in March 2020 or
-started or will start a program between spring 2020 and summer 2022 and
*you have a study permit or
*you’ve been approved for a study permit or
*you applied for a study permit before starting your study program
.Your study permit must eventually be approved.
and you
-completed a study program
*at a designated learning institution
*that was at least 8 months long and
*which led to a degree, diploma or certificate
-maintained full-time status as a student during each semester of your study program
*This doesn’t include your final semester, which can be part-time, or if you took an approved leave from your studies.
*If you had to stop studying or change to part-time studies between March 2020 and the fall semester in 2020 because of reasons related to COVID-19, you may still be eligible for a PGWP.
-graduated from one of the following:
*a public post-secondary institution, such as a college, trade/technical institution, university or CEGEP (in Quebec)
*a private post-secondary institution in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public institutions in Quebec
*a private or public secondary or post-secondary institution (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer, that leads to a diploma of vocational studies (DVS), or an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS);
.An AVS can be less than 900 hours if combined with a DVS.
-a Canadian private institution that is authorized to award degrees under provincial law (for example, an 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, which may not include all programs of study offered by the private institution.
Only the time you spent studying outside Canada after we received your study permit application counts towards the length of your PGWP.
Exceptions to the eligibility requirements
You aren’t eligible for a PGWP if you
-only received first stage approval, but don’t have a final decision on your application
*You must have a port of entry letter letter of introduction that shows you’ve been approved for a study permit.
-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
*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 major part of a study program through distance learning (online courses, e-learning or correspondence)
*Note: You may still be eligible for a PGWP if you could only study online from outside Canada because of COVID-19.
-completed a study program at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada
