Canada Post Graduate Work Permit

Many students wish to work in Canada after graduation and inquire whether they may find employment that would allow them to stay for a while. With a Canada Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP), the government of Canada permits this if the recent graduate is qualified and granted. Depending on their studies’ length and eligibility, the PGWP enables the graduate student to remain in Canada and work for a Canadian company.

Canada is highly known for its quality of education. Many international students are drawn to Canada because they can earn degrees there that will open up good work prospects for them in the future. It would be best first to get a student visa, which combines a visitor visa with a study permit, to begin your studies at a Canadian university. Also, you must start your studies in a Recognized Learning Institution and participate in a program lasting more than six months (DLI). A DLI school has received the government of Canada’s approval to admit international students.

The student visa is valid while you are enrolled in school and expires after earning your degree. Yet, many students remain in Canada after graduation to gain employment experience. They must enroll in the After Graduate Work Program to achieve it.

What conditions must be met to obtain a Canada postgraduate work permit?

The PGWP will give you temporary residence in Canada and has many requirements. To be eligible for the PGWP, you must fulfill the following criteria:

You must have completed at least eight months of full-time study in Canada;
At least 18 years of age is required;
You must have proof that you have completed your study program;
You must have graduated from one of the following institutions:
- Public college or university in any Canadian province or a vocational education program from Quebec;
- A private college or university in Quebec that adheres to the same regulations as a public college or university;
- Private secondary or post-secondary school in Quebec which offers programs of 900 hours or longer and leads to a professional diploma;
- A private university in Canada that grants degrees like a Ph.D., Master’s, or Bachelors;
When you apply for a work permit, you must have current study permission.
90 days after graduation, you must apply for a work permit,

But, in some exceptional circumstances, even if you don’t meet the standards mentioned above, you may still be eligible for a PGWP:

You attend an accelerated course meant to last eight months, but you finished it in six.
You attended the DLI for at least eight months after transferring from a non-DLI school (the time spent at the non-DLI school does not count toward your eligibility for the PGWP).
You studied part-time during your last semester due to a lighter course load.

How to apply for the Canada Post Graduate Work Permit?

The Post Graduation Work Permit application process is straightforward. It can be performed online using your GCKey or bank account information and in person by submitting a paper application.

We advise applying online if you are qualified because it has a faster processing time than paper applications. However, first, visit the Government of Canada website and complete the necessary forms to begin your application:

Application for a Change of Condition, an Extension of Stay, or to Continue Working in Canada (IMM 5710).
If you have a common-law partner, you must file Form IMM 5409, Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union.
IMM 5476 – Usage of Representative (if you are providing permission to someone to apply for you).
If you use a representative, IMM 5475 – Authorization to Release Personal Information to Designated Individual.

In addition to the forms, you must also submit other documents, such as:

A copy of your valid passport.
A letter from your school would attest to the number of hours or months you spent in school and the program code if you studied in Quebec.
A letter from your university attesting to your graduation.
A duplicate of your most recent, valid immigration documentation, such as your visitor’s, work permit, or study permit.

After submitting all the required documentation, you will be instructed to pay the PGWP application fees. You must then wait for the processing to be completed before the Government of Canada notifies you of its choice via letter or email. If your PGWP is accepted, you can begin working as soon as the time allotted for you.

How long does it take to process a PGWP?

The Canadian government must process your After Graduate Work Permit application once you submit it. You must wait about 51 days for the PGWP application to be processed if you applied via their online system. You must wait 107 days for processing if you filed a paper application.

What are the PGWP’s costs?

You must pay the application fees before submitting your PGWP application. The PGWP is significantly more expensive than the student work permit because it is open.

To obtain the PGWP, you must expressly pay the CAD$155 average work permit application price in addition to an additional CAD$100 for the open application will therefore cost CAD$255 in total.

The PGWP is suitable for how long?

The PWGP’s reliability depends on how long your study course lasted. So the PGWP is suitable for how long?

Depending on your study program’s length (for example, if it were ten months, your PGWP would be valid for ten months), it might be between 8 months and two years.
Your PGWP might be valid for three years if your study program lasted two years or more.
Your PGWP could be granted for up to 3 years if you took courses in more than one program.
Your PGWP might be valid for three years if your study program lasted two years or more;

Can I get Permanent Residence with a Canada Post Graduate Work Permit?

You might wonder if you are eligible for Canadian permanent residence after completing your PGWP. That depends on whether you meet the criteria for any of the permanent residents in Canada that you can obtain through employment, such as: