Post-Graduation Work Permit in Canada
If you graduated from a Canadian college or university and want to stay in the country to work, you can apply for a work permit after you study.
If you graduated from a Canadian college or university, you can get a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
Requirements
In order to obtain a work permit, you must meet a number of conditions:
- be 18 years of age or older at the time of application;
- have studied in Canada on a full-time basis for at least 8 months;
- have a document from your educational institution stating that you have completed all the requirements for completion of the study program;
- graduate from one of the following institutions:
- a public institution, such as a college, a trade/technical school, a university, or a special education institution (CEGEP) in Quebec;
- a private university that operates under the same rules as public universities (only applies to some private universities in Quebec);
- a private high school or university in Quebec that offers qualification programs of 900 hours or more with a diploma in professional education (diplôme d'études professionnelles, DEP) or a certificate of professional specialization (attestation de spécialisation professionnelle, ASP);
- some private schools that can award degrees under provincial law (e.g., a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree);
- apply for a work permit within 180 days of confirming that you have completed your study;
- have a valid study permit at the time of application.
For a complete list of institutions after which a PGWP is issued, see the link.
Exceptions
You are not eligible to apply for a work permit if you
- were enrolled in a program of fewer than 8 months;
- studied English or French as a second language;
- took general interest or self-improvement courses;
- studied for more than 8 months, but not all the time (for example, going on academic leave);
- participated in scholarship programs:
- The Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program;
- Government of Canada Awards Program;
- Global Affairs Canada's funding program;
- Equal Opportunity Scholarship or Canada-Chile Leadership Exchange Scholarship;
- Canada-China Scholars Exchanges Program;
- Organization of American States Fellowships Program;
- have completed the curriculum remotely;
- have been educated at a non-Canadian college or university located in Canada;
- have graduated from a university or college which is public-private partnership;
- have already received a Pot-Graduation Work Permit.
How long is the work permit valid
The validity period depends on the length of your study program.
| Length of program | Length of PGWP |
| Less than 8 months | You are not eligible for PGWP |
| More than 8 months but less than 2 years | PGWP may be valid for up to the same length as your study program (For example, if you completed a 9-month program, a work permit may be given for up to 9 months) |
| 2 years or more | PGWP may be valid for 3 years |
| You completed more than 1 program | PGWP может быть выдан на срок, равный общей продолжительности обучения, но каждая программа должна длиться более 8 месяцев и подходить под требования PGWP. |
| You completed master's degree program which is more than 8 months but less than 2 years | PGWP may be valid for 3 years |
Cost
When you apply for a work permit, you must pay a work permit opening fee and a processing fee, a total of CAN$ 255
Waiting for a decision
You can work full-time before you get a decision on your work permit application if you:
- completed the curriculum;
- applied for a work permit before their study permit expired;
- had the right to work off campus without a work permit while you were a student and did not work more hours than you were allowed.
If you do not meet these requirements, you must wait for a decision on your application. If your work permit is denied, you must stop working immediately.
