Canada Work Permit Visa for Post Graduates 2023

Canada Work Permit Visa for Post Graduates: Complete guide to the Canadian post-graduate work permit, including required documents, eligibility criteria, and frequently asked questions.

Canada is well-known for its high educational standards. This attracts a large number of international students to attempt to enroll in a Canadian university and obtain a degree, which will allow them to obtain good job opportunities in the future.

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To begin your studies at a Canadian university, you must first obtain a student visa, which combines a visitor visa and a study permit. You must also enroll in a program that lasts more than six months and begin your studies at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). A DLI is a Canadian government-approved institution that accepts international students.

The student visa is only valid while you are enrolled in university and expires when you graduate. However, many students want to stay in Canada after graduation to gain work experience. To do so, they must enroll in the Post Graduate Work Program.

This article will go over this program, what it is, how to apply it, and other pertinent information.

Can I work in Canada after I graduate?

After graduation, many students want to gain work experience in Canada and inquire whether they can find work and stay for a period of time. The Canadian government permits this if the recently graduated student is eligible for and approved for a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) in Canada.

Depending on the length of their studies and eligibility, the PGWP allows a graduate student to stay in Canada and work for a Canadian company.

What are the Requirements for the Post Graduate Work Permit in Canada?

The PGWP essentially grants you temporary residence in Canada and thus has numerous requirements. To be eligible for the PGWP, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must be at least 18 years old to participate.
• You must have studied full-time in Canada for at least 8 months.
• You must provide proof that you have completed your studies.
• You must have graduated from one of the institutions listed below.
• A public college or university in any Canadian province, or a Quebec vocational education program.
• In Quebec, a private college or university must follow the same rules as a public university or college.
• Private secondary or post-secondary school in Quebec that offers 900-hour or longer programs leading to a professional diploma.
• A private Canadian school that can grant degrees such as a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D.

You must apply for a work permit within 90 days of receiving your diploma.
At the time of applying for a work permit, you must have a valid study permit.

• You enrolled in an accelerated program that was supposed to last 8 months but was completed in 6 months.
• You transferred from one DLI to another, and your total study time at the two institutions was more than 8 months.
• You transferred from a non-DLI institution to a DLI institution and studied there for at least 8 months (the time you spent at a school that was not a DLI does not qualify you for a PGWP).
• Due to a lighter course load, you studied part-time during your final semester; you are a flight instructor.

Has completed a flight training course at a Canadian training facility and now holds a Canadian commercial pilot license, or.
You are in the process of obtaining your instructor rating and a job offer from a flight training center as a flight instructor.

• You must have graduated from a public or private secondary school, as well as a private post-secondary institution.
• Your diploma must be either a Diploma in Vocational Studies (DEP), an Attestation of Vocational Specialization (ASP), a Diploma in College Studies (DEC), or an Attestation of College Studies (ACS) (AEC).
• Your program must have been full-time for at least 8 months.

If you do not meet these requirements, you will be unable to stay in Canada after graduation and must return to your home country 90 days after graduation.

If you are in one of these situations, you will be unable to obtain a PGWP.

• You have completed a study program that lasted less than 8 months.
• You have been studying for over 8 months, but the time has not been continuous.
• You participated in the Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program, which is supported by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
• You participated in the GAC-funded Government of Canada Awards Program.
• The GAC provided you with funding.
• You received a Canada-Chile Equal Opportunity Scholarship.
• You participated in the Canada-China Scholars Exchange Program.
• You participated in the Fellowships Program of the Organization of American States.
• You completed your studies as a distance learning student from either abroad or within Canada.
• You’ve already had your PGWP.

How to apply for the PGWP?

The Post Graduation Work Permit application process is simple and can be completed online using your Government of Canada login (GCKey or bank details) or in person by submitting a paper application.

Because online applications are processed faster than paper applications, we recommend that you apply online if you are eligible. To begin your application, visit the Government of Canada website and complete the following forms:

• IMM 5710 – Application to Change Condition, Extend my Stay, or Remain in Canada as a Worker;
• IMM 5409 – Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (if you have a common-law partner);
• IMM 5476 – Use of Representative (if you are giving permission to someone to apply for you);
• IMM 5475 – Authority to release personal information to a designated individual (if you are using a representative);

In addition to the forms, you must also submit the following documents:

• A copy of your current passport.
• A copy of your most recent valid immigration documents, such as your study permit, work permit, visitor visa, and so on.
• Your most recent university transcript.
• A letter from your school confirming your graduation.
• If you studied in Quebec, a letter from your school confirming the length of your study program (in hours or months) and the program code is required.

After you have submitted all of the required documents, you will be directed to pay the PGWP application fees. After that, you must wait for processing before the Government of Canada notifies you of their decision via mail or email. If your PGWP is approved, you may begin working immediately for the time allotted to you.

How long does the PGWP take to process?
The Government of Canada must process your Post Graduate Work Permit application after you submit it. If you applied online, you will have to wait around 51 days for your PGWP application to be processed. If you submitted a paper application, you will have to wait 107 days for it to be processed.

What are the fees for the PGWP?

You must pay the application fees in order to submit your application for the PGWP. Because the PGWP is an open work permit, it is slightly more expensive than the student work permit.

To obtain the PGWP, you must pay the standard work permit application fee of CAD$155 plus an additional CAD$100 for the open work permit. As a result, your PGWP application will cost a total of CAD$255.

How long is the PGWP valid?

The validity of the PGWP is determined by the length of your study program.

• You are not eligible for a PGWP if your study program lasted less than 8 months.
• If your study program lasted between 8 months and 2 years, your PGWP could be valid for the duration of your program (so if your program was 10 months, your PGWP will be valid for 10 months).
• If your study program lasted two years or more, your PGWP could be valid for three years.
• If you studied in more than one program, your PGWP could be valid for up to three years.

Can I get Permanent Residence in Canada with a PGWP?

You may be wondering if you qualify for Canadian Permanent Residence after completing your PGWP. That is dependent on whether you meet the requirements for any of the Canadian permanent residences that you can obtain by working, such as:

• Canadian Experience Class;
• Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP);
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
• Provincial Nominee Program;
• Atlantic Immigration Pilot.

The eligibility for any of these permanent residence programs is determined by your language skills (English and/or French), job type (managerial, trade, skilled, etc.), whether you have family members in Canada who are citizens or permanent residents, and other factors.

Frequently Asked Questions