Mar 8, 2018 – The Post Graduation Work Permit represents a crucial step on an international student’s path to permanent residence, and eventually citizenship, in Canada.
Candidates who have graduate from Canadian institutions can qualify for a Canada work permit valid for up to three years, provided they meet requirements.
The PGWP is exempt from Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements.
The candidate must have attended a recognized post-secondary school, or a secondary school that offers qualifying programs, for at least eight months.
For programs last between eight months and two years, the Post Graduation Work Permit is issued for the length of the study. For international students who have studied for two years or more, a three-year permit is issued.
The valuable work experience gained during this period can count towards a permanent residence application through Canada Express Entry.
Post Graduation Work Permit: Who Can Apply?
Candidates must:
- Be 18 or older.
- Have continuously studied full-time in Canada in a program at least eight months long.
- Have completed and passed all your program requirements
- Have graduated from one of the following:
- Public post-secondary school, such as a college, trade/technical school or university, or CEGEP in Quebec.
- Private post-secondary school that operates under the same rules as public schools (currently applies only to certain private post-secondary institutions in Quebec).
- Private secondary or post-secondary school (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer, leading to a diplôme d’études professionnelles(DEP) or an attestation de spécialisation professionnelle (ASP).
- Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law (for example, Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate degree) but only if you are enrolled in a study program leading to a degree as authorized by the province.
- Apply within 90 days of completing the program.
- Have a valid study permit.
Special Case: Flight Instructors
To be eligible, a flight instructor must fit one of the following descriptions:
- Have completed a flight training course at a Canadian training centre and now have a Canadian commercial pilot’s license.
- Is in the process of getting an instructor’s rating and has a job offer as a flight instructor from a flight training centre.
Post Graduation Work Permit: How Long Is It Valid?
The validity of a PGWP is linked to the length of study. If a candidate studied for less than eight months, they are not eligible.
| Length of Study | 8 months to 2 years | 2 years or more | More than one program |
| Duration of PGWP | Same as length of study | 3 years | Cumulative total length of study is applicable |
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.
Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.
