Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

You can apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) from inside Canada as long as you’re eligible. You have up to 180 days to apply for a PGWP after you get your degree or diploma, transcript or official letter from your school. To be eligible, your study permit must have been valid at some point during these 180 days.

You can apply for a PGWP if

•       your study permit has been valid within the last 180 days
•       you have a valid visitor record
•       you submitted an application to extend your study permit before it expired and no decision has been made on your application
•       you submitted an application to change your status to visitor before your study permit expired and no decision has been made on your application

You must also have

1.     completed a study program

•       at a designated learning institution
•       that was at least 8 months long and
•       that led to a degree, diploma or certificate

2.     maintained full-time status as a student in Canada during each 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.
3.     graduated from one of the following:

•       a public post-secondary school, such as a college, trade/technical school, university or CEGEP (in Quebec)
•       a private post-secondary school in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public schools in Quebec
•       a private secondary or post-secondary school in Quebec that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer that lead to a Diplôme d’études professionnelles (DEP—vocational studies diploma), or an Attestation de spécialisation professionnelle (ASP—vocational studies accreditation)
•       a Canadian private school that can award degrees under provincial law (for example, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree), but only if you’re enrolled in a study program that leads to a degree as authorized by the province.