Latest Updates
Get timely updates on immigration, work eligibility, and health insurance for international students.
Disclaimer
The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.
Overview of Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
A post-graduation work permit (PGWP) allows you to remain in Canada and work full-time after you complete a certificate, diploma, or degree program that is at least 8 months in length.
You do not need a job offer to apply and can work anywhere in Canada in any occupation. Certain jobs require a medical exam, such as those involving work with children or in health care settings. You are not allowed to work in jobs at risk of exploitation.
Benefits of applying for PGWP
A PGWP is a practical way to advance your career goals and gain Canadian work experience after completing your studies at TWU. For students who are interested in applying for Canadian permanent residency (PR), it provides an opportunity to gain one year of skilled work experience in Canada, which might be helpful for certain PR programs.
You can only apply for the PGWP once in your lifetime. If you are unsure if you will stay or return to Canada after your studies, consider applying for the PGWP in case your plans change, since you will lose the opportunity to apply 180 days after officially completing your program.
Eligibility requirements to TWU students
To be eligible for a PGWP, generally, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- You have completed a PGWP-eligible program at TWU.
- You have studied full-time for immigration purposes each academic session without taking gaps in studies that are not considered actively pursuing studies. You may take scheduled program breaks, such as winter break for all students or summer break for most undergraduate students.
- You have completed at least 50% of your program in person in Canada.
In normal circumstances, online courses completed outside Canada do not count towards the length of your PGWP.
Special Note 1: If students enrolled TWU Program after August 31, 2022, students need to complete no more than 50% of their studies online, and time spent studying online outside of Canada was not counted toward PGWP eligibility.
Special Note 2: If students enrolled TWU Program from March 2020 and August 31, 2022, and they used to take online courses or you plan to take online courses, note that IRCC has recently announced a new policy that impacts international students planning to apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) while taking online/distance learning courses. If students meet all requirements on IRCC official website HERE (the policy was updated in December 2023), students can use the following policies to apply for PGWP.
- From March 2020 to August 31, 2022 : 100% online due to COVID-19, outside of Canada (no impact your PGWP Eligibility and Length)
- From September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2024: Students must complete at least 50% of their program inside Canada (online or in-class). The time spent studying outside of Canada before August 31, 2024, won’t be deducted from the length of their PGWP as long as it constitutes less than 50% of their program(in total credits) of study.
The length of the work permit ranges from 8 months to 3 years based on the length of your full-time program.
Length of the program you completed is less than 8 months
You are not eligible for a PGWP.
Length of the program you completed at least 8 months, but less than 2 years
IRCC may give you a PGWP that is valid for up to the same length as your study program.
For example, if you complete a 9-month program, IRCC may give you a work permit for up to 9 months.
Note: Officers may issue 3‑year post-graduation work permits to individuals who complete a master’s or doctoral degree in Canada when the eligible DLI has confirmed in the written confirmation of program completion that the degree is 16 to 23 months in length, and does not include regularly scheduled breaks.
Latest Updates on February 5, 2024: Starting on February 15, 2024, 3-year post-graduation work permit will be available to those who are graduating from a master’s degree program that is less than 2 years and who meet all other PGWP eligibility criteria. The length of PGWPs for programs other than master’s degrees will continue to align with the length of the study program, to a maximum of 3 years.
Length of the program you completed more than 2 years
IRCC may give you a 3-year PGWP.
If have you completed more than 1 program
You may be able to get a PGWP that combines the length of each program.
Each of the programs you completed must be
- PGWP-eligible and
- at least 8 months in length
You can’t get a PGWP if you already had one after completing an earlier program of study.
If the combined length of the programs is 2 years or longer, the work permit may be valid for up to 3 years.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I work after applying for the PGWP?
After submitting your PGWP application online, you may immediately begin working full-time while your application is being processed if all of the following are true at the time you submit your application:
- You have a valid study permit and apply within the first 90 days after your program official completion date first becomes available.
- You have completed your program of study.
- You were eligible to work off campus without a work permit during your studies. Check that your study permit has a condition allowing off-campus work, such as “may accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria, per paragraph R186(f), (v) or (w) and must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria“.
- You did not work off campus for more than 20 hours per week during academic sessions, except if you are eligible to work more hours during the temporary policy (below).
Temporary Policy: In recognition of international students’ contribution to the labour market, IRCC announced a temporary policy which allows some international students who are eligible to work off-campus to work more than 20 hours a week starting from November 15, 2022, until whichever comes first:
- The study permit you applied for on or before October 7 expires
- The study permit you held on October 7, 2022 expires, if you did not have a study permit application in progress on October 7, 2022
- December 31, 2023
- You finish your studies and get your letter of completion
When can I apply for the PGWP?
You can only apply after your School Letter of Program Completion is available, which confirms that you have completed all program requirements. The date you officially completing your program is different from the date of your degree conferral and graduation ceremony.
Your study permit validity and time frame to apply for the PGWP are based on the date you officially completing your program, not your degree conferral or graduation ceremony.
You may only apply for the PGWP within a certain time period.
Study permits become automatically invalid in one of two ways, whichever comes first:
- The expiry date on the study permit
- 90 days after written confirmation of program completion first becomes available
Your study permit automatically becomes invalid 90 days after the date you officially completing your program, even if the expiry date on your study permit is several months later.
If you are in Canada and do not apply for the PGWP within 90 days of the date you officially completing your program with a valid study permit, or you have not received a letter of acceptance for a new academic program to continue studies, you must take action by completing one of the following before the 90-day period is over or before your study permit expires (whichever comes first), otherwise you will be out of status:
- Change your status to a visitor and apply for the PGWP from inside Canada through the visa office which serves your country of citizenship.
- Leave Canada and apply for the PGWP from outside of Canada.
Your study permit must have been valid within the 180-day period before you apply for the PGWP. If your study permit expired before the date you officially completing your program, your time line to apply for the PGWP will be earlier - you must apply within 180 days of your study permit expiring, rather than within 180 days of your Letter of Completion becoming available.
How to apply for the PGWP?
To apply for PGWP, you only need two documents from TWU:
-
An official school letter to approve that you have successfully been approved to graduate from TWU. This letter is normally issued by TWU's Registrar's Office. You need to submit a request to get the letter. Check HERE to learn how to get the graduation letter. You need to talk to the Registrar Office if you have any questions.
-
Official/Unofficial transcripts. You can use unofficial transcripts to support your PGWP application.
How you can apply for a PGWP depends on where you’re applying from. In most cases, you must apply online.
Check HERE to learn more about "How to apply" on IRCC Website.
There are different applications and processes to apply for the PGWP from inside or outside Canada. You must be physically in Canada to submit an in Canada application, even if you apply online.
If you travel before or after applying for the PGWP, you’ll need to make sure you have a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada.
You can do one of the following:
- Apply for the PGWP online inside Canada within the required time frame and stay while your application is being processed.
- Apply for the PGWP online inside Canada within the required time frame, then leave Canada before it’s been processed.
- Travel, then return and apply for the PGWP online inside Canada within the required time frame.
- Travel, then apply at the airport or border crossing when you return to Canada - for eTA holders and US citizens only. If you are from an eTA expansion country you are not eligible to apply for a work permit upon entry to Canada. See full details of who can apply upon entry. You will need to bring all original documents and an outside-of-Canada application with you to apply upon arrival.
- Leave Canada and apply through the outside Canada process online.
If you still have questions related to immigration, health insurance, and life as an international student in Canada?
- Workshops and Seminars: Our workshops and seminars are conducted regularly to help international students stay informed and empowered. Link to TWU Calendar.
- Service Hub: For personalized assistance in resolving immigration-related questions, please submit your inquiries through Service Hub. Our team is here to provide specific support and help with any concerns you may have. Please note that TWU RCICs or RISIAs can only advise international students, their spouses, common-law partners, and children. We do not submit IRCC applications on behalf of international students.