Turn Your Degree Into a Career
You worked hard for your Canadian diploma or degree. Now the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) lets you turn that education into real Canadian work experience. For up to three years, you can work for any employer in Canada without needing a job offer or labour market test. That experience can then help you qualify for permanent residence through Express Entry or provincial programs.
The PGWP is one of the most valuable immigration pathways because it connects your studies directly to your future in Canada. Your time working here counts toward Canadian Experience Class applications and can significantly boost your Express Entry score.
How Long Can You Work?
Your PGWP length depends on the program you completed. Complete a program of at least two years and you'll receive a three-year work permit. If you completed a master's degree of at least 8 months, you can get a permit of up to three years even if the program was shorter than two years. Other programs between 8 months and two years get a permit of up to the program length: a one-year program that is not a master's gives a PGWP of up to one year.
Even if you complete your program faster than normal, you're not penalized. An accelerated two-year program finished in 16 months still qualifies for a three-year PGWP.
Key Requirements You Must Meet
The PGWP has specific eligibility rules across several categories.
School requirements: You must graduate from a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI). Your program must be at least 8 months long, and you need to have maintained full-time status during each semester except potentially your final one.
Language requirements: If you submit your PGWP application on or after November 1, 2024, you need results from an approved language test, less than two years old and covering all four skills. Bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and other university programs require CLB/NCLC 7. College, polytechnic, and other non-university programs require CLB/NCLC 5. The requirement does not apply to PGWP applications submitted before November 1, 2024.
Field of study requirements: If you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024 and your program is not a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree (for example, a college program or a non-degree university program), it must be in a field linked to occupations in long-term shortage. IRCC sets these fields by CIP code, and your program must be on the current list when you submit either your study permit application or your PGWP application. For 2026, IRCC will not add or remove any fields from the list.
Application timing: You must apply within 180 days of receiving confirmation that you completed your program. Your study permit must have been valid at some point during those 180 days.
What Can Disqualify You?
Several situations make you ineligible for a PGWP. You cannot apply if you've already received a PGWP in the past. Programs consisting only of English or French language courses don't qualify. General interest or self-improvement courses are also excluded. If you received Global Affairs Canada funding that requires you to return home, you won't be eligible.
Distance learning rules have become stricter. For studies beginning September 2024 onward, at least 50% must be completed in-person in Canada. Time spent studying online from outside Canada gets deducted from your PGWP length.
The Application Process
PGWP applications cannot be submitted at the border. As of June 2024, you must apply through the standard IRCC online portal. Gather your documents, including proof of graduation from your school, then submit your application online. The application fee is $255.
Processing times vary based on current volumes. You can check your application status through IRCC's tracking system while you wait.
Don't Let Your Status Expire
Waiting for final grades creates risk. If your study permit expires before you apply, you may need to apply for status restoration, which costs extra and adds uncertainty. Consider applying for a visitor record to maintain status while waiting for marks, or plan your timeline carefully so your study permit remains valid.
What Happens After Your PGWP?
Your PGWP isn't just a work permit. It's a bridge to permanent residence. Canadian work experience gained on a PGWP counts toward Express Entry's Canadian Experience Class. Each year of skilled work experience adds points to your CRS score. Provincial nomination programs also value PGWP holders because you've already proven you can succeed in Canada's job market.
Talk to our team about maximizing your PGWP and building your path to permanent residence.
