The post-graduation work permit allows students who have graduated from an eligible Canadian designated learning institution (DLIs) to gain valuable Canadian work experience. Work obtained through the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program may help support your application to become a permanent resident of Canada.

 

You can receive only 1 post-graduation work permit in your lifetime. It means that students are ineligible if they have previously been issued a post-graduation work permit. 

 

When to apply? 

You have up to 180 days after you graduate to apply for a PGWP. To be eligible, your study permit must have been valid at some point during these 180 days. If your study permit expires and you don’t change your status to visitor, you have up to 90 days after your study permit expires to apply for a PGWP and restore your status as a student.

 

New Rule: As of June 21, 2024, you can no longer apply for a PGWP at a port of entry (airport, land or marine border) when entering Canada.

 

General eligibility for PGWP 

You meet the general eligibility requirement to apply for a PGWP if

• you completed a study program at a designated learning institution
• you maintained full-time status as a student in Canada during each semester of your study program
  • There are some exceptions to this requirement, including
    • studying part-time during your final semester
    • taking an approved leave from your studies
    • having to stop studying or changing to part-time studies between March 2020 and the fall semester in 2020 for reasons related to COVID-19
• you apply for your PGWP within 180 days after you graduate
• your study permit was valid at some point during the 180 days after you graduated
• none of the exceptions to the PGWP eligibility requirements apply to you:
  • already received a PGWP
  • studied English or French as a second language
  • took general interest or self-improvement courses
  • received funding or a scholarship from GAC that requires you to return to your home country after graduation
  • completed over 50% of your 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
  • completed a course or program of study at a DLI that is not PGWP-eligible
    • This includes programs delivered on behalf of a PGWP-eligible DLI through a curriculum licensing agreement (also known as public-private partnerships, or P3s). Check the exceptions below.

You may also be eligible to apply for a PGWP if you’re in one of the special case groups. Special case groups may include exceptions: 

• Accelerated programs
• Distance learning
• Curriculum licensing agreements (public-private partnership)
• Taking leave from your studies
• Transfers between schools
• Canadian study programs with an overseas component
• Graduates of certain Quebec schools

 

There are different eligibility requirements depending on if you’re a graduate applying for a PGWP from within or outside of Canada.

 

Eligibility requirements based on study program

1) If you graduated with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral degree from a university:

• Language requirement:

You must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 in English or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French in all 4 language areas.

• Program length requirement:

• If you’re attending a DLI in Quebec, your program must be 900 hours or longer.
• If you’re attending a DLI in Canada but outside of Quebec, your program must be 8 months or longer.

• Field of study requirement:

There are no field of study requirements for university graduates with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral degree. All fields of study are eligible.   

 

2) If you graduated from any other university program: 

• Language requirement:

You must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 in English or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French in all 4 language areas.

• Program length requirement:

• • If you’re attending a DLI in Quebec, your program must be 900 hours or longer.
  • If you’re attending a DLI in Canada but outside of Quebec, your program must be 8 months or longer.

• Field of study requirement:

• • If you submitted your study permit application before November 1, 2024, there are no field of study requirements.
  • If you submitted your study permit application on or after November 1, 2024, you must have graduated in an eligible field of study. The fields of study are divided into 6 broad categories:
    • agriculture and agri-food
    • education
    • health care
    • science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
    • trade
    • transport

Your field of study category must fall under one of these 6 broad categories. 

 

New eligible fields of study

As of December 17, 2024, PGWP-eligible fields of study include certain programs related to early childhood education and developmental service workers.

 

3) If you graduated from a college program or other non-university program: 

• Language requirement:

You must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 5 in English or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 5 in French in all 4 language areas.

• Program length requirement:

• • If you’re attending a DLI in Quebec, your program must be 900 hours or longer.
  • If you’re attending a DLI in Canada but outside of Quebec, your program must be 8 months or longer.

• Field of study requirement:

• • If you submitted your study permit application before November 1, 2024, there are no field of study requirements.
  • If you submitted your study permit application on or after November 1, 2024, you must have graduated in an eligible field of study. The fields of study are divided into 6 broad categories:
    • agriculture and agri-food
    • education
    • health care
    • science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
    • trade
    • transport

 

New eligible fields of study

As of December 17, 2024, PGWP-eligible fields of study include certain programs related to early childhood education and developmental service workers.

 

4) If you graduated from a flight school: 

• If you graduated from a flight school, you must also meet one of the following requirements:

• • You completed a flight training course at a DLI training centre and now have a Canadian commercial pilot’s license or
  • You have or are in the process of getting an instructor’s rating and a job offer as a flight instructor from a DLI flight training centre

• Language requirement:

• • There are no language requirements for graduates from a PGWP eligible flight school.

• Program length requirement:

• • Your program must be either:
    • 8 months or longer, or
    • 900 hours or longer

• Field of study requirement:

There are no field of study requirements for flight school graduates.

 

Proof of Language results

• You must demonstrate your skill in each of the following abilities: 
  • reading
  • writing
  • listening
  • speaking

 

• Your test results must be less than 2 years old when you submit your application.

 

• Accepted language tests: 

• English: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core
• French: TEF, TCF 

 

How long is a post-graduation work permit valid? 

A post-graduation work permit (PGWP) may be valid anywhere between 8 months and up to 3 years. Unless you’ve graduated from a master’s degree program, the length of your permit will depend on the length of the study program you completed in Canada.

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

The length of your PGWP depends on the level and duration of your study program, as well as the expiry date of your passport, whichever comes first.

 

[Source] https://www.canada.ca/en/services/immigration-citizenship.html