Post Graduation Work Permit

Post Graduation Work Permit

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPs) allows international students who have completed their studies at a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) to obtain open work permits which enable them to work for any employer, anywhere in Canada.

Who can apply for PGWP?

An international student must be at least 18 years old and have completed a full-time program of study in Canada that lasted at least 8 months in order to qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The study program must have been completed at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in one of the programs listed below. Furthermore, a foreign national must apply for a work permit within 180 days of completing their study program.

“To be eligible to obtain PGWP, the applicant needs to have completed a study program of more than 8 months.”

If your program lasted more than 8 months but less than 2 years, IRCC may grant you a PGWP that is valid for the duration of your study program.

For example, if you finished a 9-month program, IRCC may grant you a work permit for a period of up to 9 months.

If your program lasted two years or more, IRCC may grant you a three-year PGWP.

“A PGWP cannot be obtained if the applicant already has one from a previous program of study.”