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Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

If eligible, you may be issued a 3-year work permit following graduation

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​As of February 14, 2019, you now have up to 180 days to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), instead of 90 days. And you are still eligible even if your Study Permit has expired. 

You might be eligible for a 3-year temporary Work Permit after you graduate. There are strict and precise eligibility rules that you have to satisfy to. This article will go through all the eligibility requirements, but also through the application procedure.

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), you need to:

• be at least 18 years old,
• have been a full-time student on a continuous basis,
• have finished an 8-month or longer program of study,
• be in possession of an official school document confirming you finished your study program,
• present your application maximum 180 days after you officially finished your program, and
• have graduated from a PGWP-eligible school program. 

Before applying to any institution, you should check if the school and program of study will make you eligible to a PGWP. You can send the school an e-mail or call them to check if their program and the school is eligible.

You can check this page to see if a school offers PGWP-eligible programs. Keep in mind that if a school offers PGWP-eligible programs, it does not mean that ALL programs they offer are PGWP-eligible. 
There are special requirements for certain Quebec schools and flight schools. You can find the requirements in this page.

You can still be eligible to the PGWP in the following special cases:

Accelerated programs

For a program of study that is supposed to be finished in 8 months, but is completed in 6 months: you might still be eligible.

Transfers between schools

• In case of a transfer between schools, you have to keep in mind that only time studying in a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) will be taken into account. If both schools are DLIs, time spent studying in both schools will be taken into account.

Part-time study

You can still be eligible to apply for the PGWP if you studied part-time only during the last academic session of your program of study.

However, there are some cases where you will not be eligible for the PGWP:

Non-Eligibilty List

• You studied in a program that was less than eight months long (except Accelerated Programs, see above),
• You studied for more than eight months but not continuously or full-time (except part-time last semester,see above),
• You completed a study program by distance learning either from abroad or from within Canada,
• You already had a post-graduation work permit following any other program of study,
• You took part in a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC),
• You took part in a Government of Canada Awards Program funded by GAC,
• You had funding from GAC,
• You took part in the Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada-Chile,
• You took part in the Canada-China Scholars Exchanges Program, or
• You took part in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program

Validity of the Work Permit

Depending on the duration of your program of study, the duration of the PGWP can be valid from eight months to three years. The permit will be valid:

• for the same duration as that of your study program, as long as it is longer than eight months and shorter than two years, or
• for three years if the study program was for at least two years.

How to Apply for the PGWP

You can apply either online or on paper:
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• If you apply online, you will have to pay the fees online ($255) and print, fill and scan your forms and supporting documents before uploading them on the system. Find out if you are eligible and apply online.

• If you apply on paper, you will have to fill the required forms, annex your supporting documents and fee payment receipt, and send your application by mail to this address.

We would recommend you to apply online, as processing times are always quicker than when applying on paper.

Forms and Supporting Documents

In regards to forms to fill and supporting documents to provide, we invite you to check our dedicated guide on the matter.

Application Fees

When applying to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, you must pay a $100.00 Open Work Permit Holder fee in addition to the $155.00 work permit processing fee. If you are applying on paper, you can pay your fees ($255) online here.

Processing Times

A Post-Graduate Work Permit application is processed within approximately 60 days if online, and 100 days if on paper. 

You can check the processing times here. You need to select "Visiting, studying, working temporarily", then "Work Permit Extension (new employer)".

What's next?

Check our Ultimate Express Entry Guide for each step of the process!

Find out if you can work in Canada with your study permit!

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