Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) in Canada: Latest Updates, Eligibility & Duration

PGWP in Canada: The Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit that allows international students graduating from participating post-secondary colleges and universities to gain Canadian work experience for as many hours as they wish. In the long run, not exceeding three years, these international graduates who acquire Canadian work experience through the PGWP qualify for permanent residence (PR) in Canada through Express Entry.

The number of international students participating in the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) has increased markedly. This is based on research conducted by Eden Crossman, Yuqian Lu, and Feng Hou in 2022, titled "International students as a source of labour supply: Engagement in the labour market after graduation." Source: Statistics Canada

In this article, students can learn everything about the Post Study Work Visa Canada, including the latest updates, eligibility requirements, duration and work permit-related courses.

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) Canada

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) or Post Graduate Work Permit in Canada or PGWP Canada allows international students who freshly graduate from designated learning institutions (DLIs) in Canada to get a valid work permit and gain work experience in Canada. Students with Canadian work experience qualify for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian experience class within Express Entry. Additionally, skilled Canadian work experience in National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type 0 or skill type A or B gained through the PGWPP helps graduates become eligible for permanent residence in Canada. 

International students obtaining a PGWP can work unlimited hours anywhere in the country, unlike the pre-PGWP period, where they had the right to work up to 20 hours a week.

Latest Updates for PGWP Canada

Check the latest updates for PGWP Canada below.

• Canada improves fairness for applicants by ending post-graduation work permit “flagpoling”. 
• Starting from June 21, 2024, international students cannot apply for a PGWP at a port of entry (airport, land or marine border) when entering Canada. This new rule stops students from bypassing the processing time for work permits within Canada by accessing same-day immigration services at a Canadian border crossing.
• International students who have completed a master’s degree program, even under two years, will now qualify for a 3-year PGWP, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria.

Changes in PGWP Canada (Quebec)

The updates about the Post Graduate Work Permit Canada about some academic programmes at some DLIs in Quebec are:

• If your study programme is complete before 1st September 2023 and you apply for a PGWP Canada within the next 6 months, your PGWP application will fall under the existing criteria.
• If your study programme starts before 31st August 2023 with a duration of 8 months or 900 hours or longer, your PGWP application will come under the existing criteria.
• If your academic program starts after 1st September 2023, you can apply for PGWP Canada only if that program is eligible after 1st September 2023. 
• If your currently enrolled program of study will not be eligible for PGWP Canada after 1st September 2023, the time studying in that program before 1st September 2023 might be counted for your PGWP calculation.

Changes Introduced by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

Temporary changes for the following groups of students are:

• Those who were enrolled in PGWP-eligible programs that were in progress in March 2020.
• Those who started their PGWP-eligible programs between March 2020 and 31 August 2022.

Those who enrolled in education programs after 31 August 2022 will be covered as per the following changes:

Measures	Enrollment Date	Details
Full facilitation	Already enrolled in March 2020 Programme started between March 2022 and 31 August 2022	100% of their programme can be completed online from outside Canada Time spent outside Canada, up until 31 August 2023, can be counted for considering the overall length of PGWP
Reduced facilitation	Programme started between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023	At least 50% of their studies must be done in Canada Time spent outside Canada, up until 31 August 2023, will be counted for considering the overall length of PGWP only if it is less than 50% of the course duration

Students must note the following points:

• These programmes must be eligible for PGWP Canada. 
• Any time spent outside of Canada after 31 August 2023, will be deducted from the length of the PGWP.

Eligibility Criteria for PGWP Canada

To be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit in Canada, you must meet PGWP criteria based on your location, whether you are inside or outside of Canada.

If you are inside Canada, you are eligible if:

• You have up to 180 days, from the date of completion of your course, to apply for a PGWP. Moreover, your Canada student visa must be valid during these 180 days.
• You have an academic, vocational or professional training program (full-time) that is at least 8 months in duration leading to a bachelor’s/master’s/doctorate degree, diploma or certificate.
• You confirm your program attendance, name, and duration of a program.
• You have a valid visitor record.
• Your in-person classes were changed to online mode.
• Your studies were on hold, or you had to study part-time, during the winter, spring or summer 2020 semesters. 
• Please note that in order to be eligible for PGWP Canada, you must be enrolled in a full-time course as of Fall 2020 semester.
• From September 1, 2023, at least 50% of your academic programme must be complete in-class.

If you are outside Canada, you are eligible if:

• You apply for a post graduation work permit (PGWP Canada) within 180 days of completing your program. And submit your degree/diploma, transcript/official letter from your college or university.
• You’ve been approved for a study permit.
• You maintained full-time student status during each semester of your course, with exceptions for the final semester, approved leaves, or COVID-19 related reasons.
• You were enrolled in a program that was in progress in March 2020 or started a program between Spring 2020 and Summer 2022. And these two academic programs are from a PGWP-eligible DLI with at least 8 months duration.
• You studied online from outside Canada between March 2020 and August 31, 2022, you didn’t require a valid study permit due to a temporary Covid-19 policy.
• Important: After August 31, 2023, whatever amount of time spent outside Canada will not count towards your PGWP duration. 
• Your study program must be of at least 8 months in duration and lead to a degree/diploma/certificate.
• You must have a full-time student status.

Application Details

The application details for PGWP Canada are given below. 

• To apply for PGWP in Canada, you will have 180 days after your graduation. 
• You need to have a degree (regular/open), diploma, official letter from your educational institution, or academic transcripts.
• A fee of CAD 255 is charged (CAD 155 is the base fee, and CAD 100 is the ‘Open Work Permit Holder’ fee).
• To restore your student status and PGWP, you will have to pay CAD 634.
• PGWP processing time for online or e-applications is 141 days.
• PGWP processing time for paper-based applications (hardcopy) is 34 days.

How long is the Post-Graduation Work Permit Canada?

A post-graduation work permit Canada length is a minimum of 8 months up to a maximum of 3 years, issued based on the length of the study program. Students must note that post-graduation work permits can be extended only when the length of the permit could not be provided at the time of the application, due to the expiry date of the applicant’s passport. 

Starting February 15, 2024, students who graduate from a master's degree of less than 2 years (8 months minimum) may be eligible for a 3 year PGWP.

What are the PGWP eligible colleges in Canada?

The list of Canadian colleges and universities offering PGWP-eligible programs are given below.

S No	PGWP Eligible Colleges
1	Alberta Bible College
2	City University of Seattle
3	Rocky Mountain College
4	Vanguard College
5	Concordia University of Edmonton
6	Alexander College
7	Coastal Pacific Aviation Ltd.
8	Columbia College
9	Fraser International College
10	Insignia College
11	Adler Graduate Professional School
12	Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies
13	Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College
14	Redeemer University
15	Yorkville University
16	Carlton Trail College
17	Great Plains College
18	Horizon College and Seminary Inc.
19	North West College
20	Saskatchewan Polytechnic
21	Yukon University
22	Alkan Air Ltd.
23	Atlantic School of Theology
24	Cape Breton University
25	Dalhousie University

PGWP Courses in Canada

In this section, the popular courses eligible for PGWP in Canada are given in the table below.

S No	College	Courses	Duration
1	Yorkville University	Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting	2.5 years*
2		Bachelor of Business Administration in Energy Management	2.5 years*
3		Bachelor of Business Administration in Project Management	2.5 years*
4		Bachelor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management	2.5 years*
5	Northeastern University	Master of Professional Studies in Analytics	15 to 24 months
6		Masters of Professional Studies in Informatics	15 to 24 months
7		Master of Science in Project Management	15 to 24 months
8		Master of Science in Regulatory Affairs	12 to 18 months
9		Master of Science in Cybersecurity	2 to 2.5 years
10		Master of Science in Computer Science	Approx. 2 years
11		Master of Science in Information Systems	2 to 3 years
12		Master of Science in Biotechnology	2 to 3 years
13		Master of Science in Bioinformatics	2 to 3 years
14		Master of Science in Cyber Physical Systems	2 to 2.5 years

*With full course load, year-round study and/or approved transfer credits. Contact the university’s admissions advisor for more information.

What’s next after my PGWP expires?

Since this post-graduation work permit is valid for up to three years, international students often wonder what’s next after PGWP expires. The answer is that some options are available for PGWP holders to stay temporarily or permanently in Canada. They are:

• Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) - After PGWP expires, international graduates opt for PNPs to settle in their province in Canada. Many nominee programs, known as ‘enhanced’ PNPs, operate using the Express Entry system.
• Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) - The AIP helps certain recent graduates from an Atlantic post-secondary institution become eligible for permanent residence. 
• Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) - The RNIP is an economic pilot program intended for foreign nationals who’ve received a recommendation from a community and obtained a job offer within the same community’s boundaries.
• Work Permit - After PGWP expires, international graduates apply for a work permit and work in companies having a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). If you can apply for permanent residency before your PGWP expires, you may also apply for a bridging open work permit.
• Attend a new Post-Secondary program - After your PGWP expires, you can enrol in a new post-secondary program in Canada and work up to 20 hours per week.

PGWP Canada FAQs

1. Can I get PR after 2 years work permit in Canada?

Yes. You can get PR after a 2-year work permit in Canada. You need to have at least 12 months of full-time or an equal amount of part-time skilled work experience in Canada in the three years before applying for. Other criteria include language skill levels (CLB 7 for TEER Category 0 or 1 occupations and CLB 5 for NOC TEER Category 2 or 3 occupations) for the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level.

2. While working in Canada on a post-graduation work permit, do I need a Labour Market Impact Assessment?

Not necessarily. If you work in Canada on a post-graduation work permit and your job is exempt, you do not need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Similarly, if you’re invited under the Canadian Experience Class, you don’t need an LMIA to meet the program requirements.