Post-graduation work permit (PGWP)

Applying for a PGWP

• How long is PGWP valid?

  The length that a PGWP is valid for depends on the length of your study program.

  Length of Program	Length of PGWP
  Program length is less than eight months	You are not eligible.
  Program length is more than eight months long but less than two years	PGWP is issued for the same length as your program. You may get a three-year PGWP if you complete a master's or doctoral degree in Canada which is 16 to 23 months in duration and does not include regularly scheduled breaks. Effective February 15, 2024, for applications received on or after February 15, 2024: you may get a three-year PGWP if you graduate from a degree-granting master's level program, which is less than two years.
  Program length is two years or more	PGWP is issued for three years.
  Completed more than one program	You may be able to get a PGWP that combines the length of each program. For example, if the combined length of the programs is two years, you may be eligible for a three-year PGWP

  You can find more information on PGWP duration on the IRCC website.

• Who can apply for the PGWP?

  To be eligible for a PGWP, you must have:

  • Successfully completed a program of study that was at least eight months long that led to a degree, diploma or certificate.
  • Maintained full-time status as a student in Canada during each academic semester of your study program.
    • This doesn’t include your final semester, which can be part-time, or if you took an approved leave from your studies, or if you have to stop studying or change to part-time studies between March 2020 and the fall semester in 2020 for reasons related to COVID-19
  • Received a transcript and an official letter from the university confirming that you have met the requirements to complete their program of study.
  • Applied for your PGWP within 180 days after you graduate. 
  • Either hold or have held a valid study permit within 180 days of the date of applying for the post-graduation work permit.
  • Language requirement of CLB 7. 

  To review your eligibility requirements in detail, visit the IRCC website. 

• Who can not apply for the PGWP?

  You aren’t eligible for a PGWP if you:

  • Already received a PGWP.
  • Studied English or French as a second language.
  • Took general interest or self-improvement courses.
  • Received funding or a scholarship from GAC that requires you to return to your home country after graduation.
  • Completed over 50 per cent of your study program through distance learning (online courses, e-learning or correspondence).
    • Note: You may still be eligible for a PGWP if you could only study online from outside Canada because of COVID-19.
  • Completed a study program at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada.
  • Completed a course or program of study at a DLI that is not PGWP-eligible.
    • This includes programs delivered on behalf of a PGWP-eligible DLI through a curriculum licensing agreement (also known as public-private partnerships, or P3s).
• What is CLB 7 in English?
  You can check the IRCC website to find your language level.
• What are acceptable language test results?
  You can check the IRCC website to find your language level.
• Can I take IELTS at Ontario Tech University?
  Yes, you can find more informaiton on the IELTS website.
• What documents are needed to apply?

  You will need the following documents to apply for a PGWP:

  • Final Official Transcript that confirms you've completed your study program.
    • You can request this by going to MyOntarioTech and going to the Students records box after you've selected Current student. You can find more information regarding the fees and processing times, on the Office of the Registrar's website.
  • A letter from the university indicating program completion or formal notification of graduation. 
    
    • Undergraduate students: You can request this letter by submitting the request through the specialized letter request webpage. 
    • Graduate students: You can request this letter by submitting the request through the Verification of enrolment webpage. 
  • Proof of language ability. 

    • Due to system limitations, the document checklist won’t ask you to provide language test results. If you’re applying for a PGWP as a flight school graduate, you don’t need to provide language results. If you’re not a flight school graduate and you’re applying on or after November 1, 2024, you must upload your language results in the “Client information” section. IRCC is working to update the document checklist and their systems.

  You must speak to the Office of the Registrar (undergraduate students) or the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (graduate students) when your completion letter and official transcripts will become available before you confirm the start date with a potential employer. 

  Learn more on the Government of Canada website and download a document checklist.  

• When can I apply?

  You become eligible once you have successfully completed your program of study.

  You have up to 180 days after you graduate to apply for a PGWP. 

• Can I apply for a post-graduation work permit before I get my diploma?
  Please check the answer on the IRCC website.
• How much of your online studies counts toward a PGWP?
  Please check the information on the IRCC website.

Frequently asked questions

• Am I eligible for the PGWP if I am part-time in my final semester?
  You must maintain full-time student status during each academic session of the program or programs of study you complete, and this status is required for your PGWP application. However, if you meet all the eligibility requirements, with the exception of full-time status during your final academic session (that is, you have part-time status only in your final academic session), you are still considered eligible for the PGWP.
• What should I do if my passport expires before my PGWP?

  Make sure your passport is valid for the entire length of time you should be eligible. If your passport expires earlier:

  • IRCC will only issue you a PGWP that’s valid until your passport expires.
  • IRCC will tell you if you need to extend it to get the full validity.

  Normally, you can only apply to extend a PGWP if IRCC tells you to do so. If this happens, you have to apply on paper to extend your PGWP so it will be valid for the full length it should be.

• Can I work while waiting for confirmation from the university that I have graduated?
  You can check "Off-campus work and completion of a program of studies" information on the IRCC website.
• What is considered as the confirmation that I have graduated?

  The confirmation of graduation can be one of the following, but not limited to: 

  (1) Email from Ontario Tech University indicating that you have graduated.

  (2) School Completion Letter. 

  (3) Final Official Transcript with degree conferred. 

  (4) Degree/Diploma. 

  You can also confirm with your International Student Advisor. 

• How long is my PGWP if I complete my study program in less time than the normal length of the program?

  If you complete your study program in less time than the normal length of the program, you may be eligible for a PGWP that is valid for the full length of your program.

  For example, if you complete a one-year study program in eight months, you may be able to get a PGWP valid for one year.

• Am I eligible for the PGWP if I take leave from my studies?

  If you took a period of leave that was authorized by Ontario Tech University at any time during your studies, you must include with your PGWP application documentation proving the leave was authorized by Ontario Tech Univeristy. It is up to IRCC officer to determine whether the PGWP will be issued or not. 

  To request for the approval of leave of absence:

  • Undergraduate student: as a temporary measure, you can contact International Student Advisor by emailing iss@ontariotechu.ca with the reason for taking the leave.
  • Gradaute student: you can request on the graduate studies' website. 

  Please note that it is not guaranteed that the request will be approved by Ontario Tech University. 

• Do I need to meet field of study requirements for my PGWP application?
  There are no field of study requirements for university graduates with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral degree.
• If I am not eligible for a PGWP, what other work permit can I apply?

  If you’re not eligible for a PGWP, you may still be able to work in Canada after you graduate.

  Find out if you’re eligible for another type of permit.

• What should I do if my study permit expires before I apply for the PGWP?

  If you don’t change your status to visitor and your study permit expires, you have up to 90 days after your study permit expires to apply for a PGWP and restore your status as a student.

  To restore your status as a student, you must:

  • Apply online for your PGWP and pay the correct fee ($255), and
  • Pay the fee to restore your status as a student ($379).
    • Because of system limitations, you must pay the fees to restore your status as a student online and attach a copy of the receipt to your PGWP online application. You don’t need to make a separate application to restore your status as a student.

  You can’t work until your study permit and work permit have been approved. Find out if you meet the other requirements to work while we process your application.

  If you don’t apply within 90 days, or if 90 days have already passed, you must leave Canada.

  Your study permit must be valid (not expired) at the time you submit your application to be eligible to work in Canada while awaiting a decision on your PGWP application.

• Can I work while waiting for my PGWP?

  You can work full-time until IRCC makes a decision on your work permit application if you:

  • Had a valid study permit at the time you submitted your application.
  • Completed your study program.
  • Were eligible to work off campus without a work permit while studying and you didn’t work more hours than you were allowed to.

  Please note: Your study permit will expire on whichever date comes first:

  • The date marked on the permit, or, 
  • 90 days after the day you complete your studies.

  More information regarding "When do the 90 days begin?" can be found on the IRCC website. 

  You can check "How can I show a potential employer I'm allowed to work while I wait for my post-gradaution work permit?" on the IRCC website. 

• If I have received the WP-EXT for PGWP (IMM 0127 E) letter, what should I do?
  You’re authorized to work until a decision is made on your work permit application, even if the 120-day validity period of the letter expires. If you need proof of authorization to continue working, you can ask for it using IRCC's web form.
• How long will it take to receive my PGWP?
  You can check the processing time on the IRCC website.
• I'm waiting for my post-graduation work permit. Can I travel outside Canada and come back with my student permit?

  Please check the information on  the IRCC website.

• Can I work anywhere, in any type of job, under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program?

  The post-graduation work permit is an open work permit. This means that you can work in any occupation anywhere in Canada, and change employers any time you wish.

  Note: You may not work for an employer on the ineligible employers list.

• There’s a specific employment location on my post-graduation work permit. Can I work somewhere else?

  According to the IRCC website, it depends on where the employment location information is on your work permit.

  If the location is under Additional Information

  You can work in any location across Canada. You don’t need to apply to change your work permit. If you have a co-op work permit, your work must be required to complete your study program.

  Figure 1. Employment location information under the Additional Information section of a sample work permit.

  If the location is under Conditions or Remarks/Observations

  You must work at the location on your permit. You must apply to change the conditions of your work permit if you want to work in a different location. To do this, you’ll need to apply for a new work permit from within Canada. Select Inside Canada to find out how you can apply for your new permit. Include a letter explaining why you need the condition removed from your work permit with your application.

  Figure 2. Employment location information under the Conditions section of a sample work permit.

• What should I do if I need to extend or change the conditions of my PGWP?

  You must apply on paper if you’re extending or changing the conditions of your PGWP.

  You can only extend your PGWP if your passport expired earlier than the full period of eligibility of your PGWP. If your passport expired earlier than the length of time you’re eligible, IRCC will only issue you a PGWP that’s valid until your passport expires.

  This would be indicated in a note on your initial PGWP.

  You may need to change the conditions on your PGWP if you need to provide an additional document, like a medical exam, after you already applied.

• How to remove the job restrictions on my PGWP?

  There may be restrictions on your PGWP because you didn’t have a medical exam before you came to Canada. These restrictions prevent you from working in:

  • Jobs that bring you into close contact with people, such as:
    • workers in health care settings
    • clinical laboratory workers
    • patient attendants in nursing and geriatric homes
    • medical students admitted to Canada to attend university
    • medical electives and physicians on short-term locums
    • workers in primary or secondary school settings or workers in child care settings
    • domestics
    • workers who give in-home care to children, the elderly or people with disabilities
    • day nursery employees
    • other similar jobs
  • Jobs in agriculture if you’ve visited or lived in one of these countries for more than six months during the past year.

  You must get a medical exam within 90 days of your arrival. You will need a chest X-ray and blood test.

  You may need to pay a fee for this exam.

  Once you get your medical exam results, you can ask to have these restrictions removed. To do this, you must apply on paper to change the conditions on your PGWP.

• Do you also need to apply for a visitor visa or eTA?

  If you apply from outside of Canada

  IRCC will issue you a new visitor visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA) when IRCC approves your post-graduation work permit application.

  If you apply from inside Canada

  If you need a visitor visa to enter Canada, IRCC won’t issue you a new one when IRCC approves your post‑graduation work permit application. You’ll need to apply for a new visitor visa separately, if your current one is expired and you want to travel outside of Canada.

  If you need an eTA to enter Canada by plane, IRCC will issue you one when IRCC approves your post-graduation work permit application.

• Can my spouse or common-law partner apply for an open work permit?
  If IRCC approves your application for a post-graduation work permit, your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit. Answer a few questions to find out what type of work permit they may be eligible for.