Requirements for Canada Post Graduate Work Permit

The duration of the program depends on the length of your studies in Canada. PGWP does not require a job offer. You don’t have to work in a particular field either.

Please note that applicants for PGWP must have graduated from a Designated Learning Institution to be eligible.

Can International Students Stay in Canada After Graduation?

Yes. International students can stay in Canada after graduation to work and get experience. They can get huge work experience that will have a good impact on their resume. They could stay in Canada after graduation through Canada Post Graduate Work Permit. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Canadian government has facilitated the process for PGWP.

Requirements for Canada Post Graduate Work Permit

Through Canada Post Graduate Work Permit, you can stay in Canada for a temporary time. You must fulfill a few requirements to be eligible for PGWP:

Age 

1. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

Study course 

2. You must have completed a study course in Canada. The course must have the following requirements:

• It must have been at a Designated Learning Institution.
• The length of the course must have been at least eight months.
• The applicant must have received a certificate, diploma, or degree for the study course.
• You must have had a full-time study course each semester in Canada.

Graduation 

3. Applicants must have graduated from one of the following centers below:

• • A public post-secondary school. It could be a:
    
    • College.
    • Trade/technical school.
    • A university or CEGEP in Quebec province.
    • A private post-secondary school in Quebec province. (It must operate with the same rules as the public schools in Quebec province.
    • A post-secondary or private secondary school in Quebec province. The course that applicants take must end with a CAP or DEP.
    • A private school that can grant degrees under the province regulations, such as:
      
      • Associate
      • Bachelor’s
      • Master’s or Doctorate

Not eligible applicants

You are  not eligible for a Canada Post Graduate Work Permit if:

• You have already benefited from a Canada Post Graduate Work Permit.
• The applicant has studied English/French as a second language.
• Your study course has taken less than eight months.
• The study course applicant took part in has not been steady. There were interruptions.
• You have participated in a course for self-development.
• The applicant has taken part in the Government of Canada Awards Program.
• You have already received funding from Global Affairs Canada.

Please note that you are eligible for Canada Post Graduate Work Permit if you have benefited from Canada scholarships.

• The applicant has taken part in:

• • The Canada-China Scholars’ Exchanges Program.
  • The Organization of American States Fellowships Program

• You have performed most of your study course through distance learning.
• The applicant has graduated from a non-Canadian academic center situated in Canada.

If you want to know how to immigrate to Canada as a nurse, read our article.

Passport Requirement

To be able to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit, you should ensure your passport has enough validity. It must have validity for the entire duration of PGWP.

In case the expiry date of your passport is sooner than your PGWP:

• The Canadian authorities grant you a PGWP and its validity is the same as your passport.
• They will inform you to extend your passport to benefit the whole PGWP program.

Time Limit for Canada Post Graduate Work Permit

To be able to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit, you have to apply within six months (180) days after you receive your certificate. In case your study permit will get expired before you can apply for a PGWP:

• Applicants have to apply for a visitor record; or
• Leave Canadian soil and apply from their home country, or
• Apply to extend the residence permit.

Application Process for Canada Post Graduate Work Permit

The application process for a Post Graduate Work Permit in Canada is simple and clear. You could apply online through the Canadian government website or by paper. As an online application is faster, it would be wise to perform this method.

Please note that one of the requirements to work full-time with a Post Graduate Work Permit is to have a valid study permit. If your study permit is about to get expired, it would be wise to extend it.

The process is as follows;

A. Completing the Form

To begin the process, you have to complete the related form on the Canadian government website. Please be careful while you complete them. The information you put in must be compatible with your documents.

B. Required Documents

Applicants must upload the following documents:

• A valid passport.
• Documents related to your current immigration status. It could include:

• • Study permit
  • Work permit
  • Tourist visa

• A copy of your university degree.
• Applicants must provide a certified letter from the university/school. It must verify the duration of your course (in months/ in hours) meets the requirements.

If you want to know how to immigrate to Canada as a teacher, read our article.

C. Paying Fees

When you submit all the requirements and forms, you must pay the fees online.

D. Processing Application

Once you paid the fees, you have to wait until your application gets processed. The processing time depends on your case and a few other points.

If your application gets approved by authorities, they will inform you through mail or email.

While you are waiting for the Canadian authorities’ decision on your application, you can check your eligibility to work in the country. If you are eligible, you can work to get more experience until your PGWP gets issued.

What Type of Job Can you Get through PGWP?

Through a Post Graduate Work Permit Program, you can work in different fields. You can find full-time and part-time jobs. Applicants could even work self-employed.

Processing Time for Canada Post Graduate Work Permit in Canada

The processing time for Post Graduate Work Permit depends on a few factors. If you apply by paper, the processing time is at least three months. While for online applications, you have to wait at least two months until your application gets processed.

International students can also apply for PGWP from outside of Canada. If applicants apply from their home country, the processing time depends on the country. It varies from country to country. Please note that in this case, the authorities might ask for extra requirements.

How Much Does a Canada Post Graduate Work Permit Cost?

The fee for PGWP is C$155. Applicants have to pay C$100 for Open work permit as well. The final cost is C$ 255.

Canada Post Graduate Work Permit Validity

The validity of a Post Graduate Work Permit depends on the length of the applicants’ study course in Canada:

• If your study course’s length was less than eight months, you are not eligible to apply for PGWP.
• Eight-month to two years study course; the PGWP might be valid for two years.
• Two year-courses or longer; PGWP could be valid for three years.
• In case the applicant has studied in more than one program, the OGWP may be valid for up to three years.

Please note that under a PGWP, you can work for any Canadian employer. You could also work everywhere you want. There is no restriction for the employer or location. For a few Canadian work visas, the employer or applicant must apply for the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). In a PGWP, no one has to apply for LMIA.

Can You Apply for a Permanent Residence Permit Under Canada Post Graduate Work Permit?

You can apply for Canada Permanent Residence after your PGWP expiry date if you fulfill its requirements. You could apply for Permanent Residence through one of the available programs in Canada. Whether you can apply or not depends on:

• Language Proficiency skills (English and/or French)
• The type of skill you have
• Whether you have family in Canada who are permanent residents or citizens.
• Etc.

New Rules for Canada Post Graduate Work Permit due to COVID-19

The new situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has forced universities to close. Almost all classes have switched to online. The officials in Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), have announced new rules over PGWP in May 2020.

With the new regulation, foreign students can start their study courses from their home country. If students can not travel to Canada, they have permission to accomplish up to %50 of the course online.

One of the requirements for a PGWP is the length of stay in Canada. By the new order, this item won’t get deducted from the overall time you will spend in Canada.

The new rules will apply to the PGWP program until December 31, 2020.

Under the new rules, international students can begin their classes from outside Canada and complete up to 50% of their program virtually if they cannot travel to Canada sooner. This relaxation is in effect until December 31, 2020.

Let’s sum up…

In this blog, we explained all you need to know about Canada Post Graduate Work Permit.

We explained the students who are eligible for it, the requirements, the application process, FAQs, and more.

The new rules introduced by the Canadian authorities about PGWP due to COVID-19 also got covered.

You can find all the Canada visa information in the world here. To find out more about the visa that suits you, go through the menu on the site. You can find all the types of Canada visas at the left sidebar.

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In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.