Canada post-graduation work permit

Graduates who meet the permit’s programme, study history, language and, where applicable, field-of-study requirements.

• Complete an eligible programme

  Complete a programme of study at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution that was at least 8 months long, or 900 hours for Quebec programmes. The guidance lists special cases.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Study full-time

  Maintain full-time student status in Canada during each semester of the study programme; the final semester may be part-time.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Apply within 180 days

  Apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your study programme.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Have held a valid study permit

  Your study permit must have been valid at some point during the 180 days after you completed your study programme.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the degree language level

  For a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, prove at least Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 in English or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French in all four language areas.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the other university language level

  For any other university programme, prove at least CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in all four language areas.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the college language level

  For any other college, polytechnic or non-university programme, prove at least CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all four language areas.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Provide valid language results

  For applications submitted on or after 1 November 2024, provide English or French language results unless you graduated from a PGWP-eligible flight school. Test results must be less than two years old when you apply.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the field-of-study rule

  If you applied for a study permit on or after 1 November 2024 and graduated from a programme other than a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree or a PGWP-eligible flight school, your programme must meet the eligible-field requirement. Its six-digit CIP code must have been on the eligible list when you submitted either your study permit application or your PGWP application.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the flight-school condition

  Flight-school graduates must have completed a flight training course at a designated learning institution training centre and hold a Canadian commercial pilot’s licence, or have or be getting an instructor’s rating and have a flight-instructor job offer from a designated learning institution flight training centre. PGWP-eligible flight-school graduates have no language or field-of-study requirement.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the in-person study rule

  You are not eligible if you completed over 50% of your programme through distance learning, subject to the guidance’s COVID-19 exceptions. For a programme with a lock-in date on or after 1 September 2024, at least 50% must be completed in class within Canada.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Do not have a previous PGWP

  You are not eligible if you have already received a post-graduation work permit.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Avoid excluded programmes

  You are not eligible if you studied English or French as a second language, took general-interest or self-improvement courses, or completed a non-credit programme, except a flight-school programme.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Avoid excluded institutions

  You are not eligible after a programme at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada or a course or programme at a designated learning institution that is not PGWP-eligible. Programmes delivered under curriculum licensing agreements are generally ineligible, subject to the guidance’s start-date exceptions.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Check return-home funding

  You are not eligible if you received Global Affairs Canada funding or a scholarship that requires you to return to your home country after graduation.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Restore expired status if necessary

  If you remain in Canada without changing to visitor status and your study permit expires before you apply, you have up to 90 days after its expiry to apply for the PGWP and restore your status as a student; additional fees apply.

  canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource

• Work permit processing feeircc.canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource$155 per person
• Open work permit holder feeircc.canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource$100 per person
• Biometrics fee, if biometrics are requiredircc.canada.ca · checked 5 days agoSource$85 per person

1. Get ready

   • Check your programme and eligibility

     Confirm that your institution and programme are PGWP-eligible and that you meet the study history, language and any field-of-study conditions.

   • Check your programme’s CIP code

     If the field-of-study rule applies, check whether your programme’s six-digit CIP code meets it.

     You’ll need: Programme CIP code

   • Collect proof of graduation and study

     Get proof that you completed your programme and a transcript showing your full-time enrolment.

     You’ll need: Degree, diploma, certificate, school letter or transcript showing completion, Official transcript showing full-time enrolment

   • Collect any other required proof

     Include language results, eligible-field evidence and upfront medical-exam proof where the guidance requires them.

     You’ll need: Language test results, if applicable, Eligible-field evidence, if applicable, Upfront medical-exam proof, if applicable

2. Apply

   • Read the application guide

     Read the guide for applying from inside or outside Canada before completing the application.

   • Complete the online questionnaire

     Answer the questions in your IRCC account to generate your personalised document checklist, and upload required language or field-of-study proof even where the checklist does not request it correctly.

     You’ll need: Application forms, Supporting documents

   • Submit the application and pay

     Apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your programme and pay both the work permit and open work permit holder fees.

     You’ll need: Completed application, Supporting documents, Payment card

3. Settle in

   • Check whether you may work while waiting

     You may work full-time while IRCC decides only if you held a valid study permit when you applied, completed your programme, and were eligible to work off campus without a work permit without exceeding the permitted hours.

     You’ll need: Valid study permit held when applying, Proof of programme completion

Canadian work experience; graduates may have options to apply separately for permanent residence.

• Post-graduation work permit: Who can apply - Canada.cacanada.caOfficial
• canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/ch…Official
• Post-graduation work permit: Field of study requirement - Canada.cacanada.caOfficial
• canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/w…Official
• Post-graduation work permit: Get the right documents - Canada.cacanada.caOfficial
• Post-graduation work permit: How to apply - Canada.cacanada.caOfficial
• Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee listircc.canada.caOfficial

Japper is an AI immigration assistant. It gives general information from official sources, not legal advice, and it can be wrong. For your own case, ask a licensed advisor.