Post Graduate Work Permits

The advantages of studying for a higher education in Canada are known worldwide. With one of the best education systems, welcoming culture, and growing economy, international students come in very large numbers to study here. A major advantage, apart from the value of the education itself, is the opportunity to work in Canada for longer periods. This is not just part-time off-campus work, or co-op terms as part of the conditions of a degree. The Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit that allows full-time employment by graduate students for up to 3 years in almost any occupation, which gives both flexibility and the opportunity to gain valuable Canadian work experience. It is a natural prior step towards applying for permanent residency through Express Entry (see the prior series of posts on that program for more details). A spouse or common-law partner may even qualify for their own open work permit, as well.
For students interested in this benefit (or even prior to being admitted to the school), certain details are very important.

• Is the school a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) Some colleges and universities are not accredited, and so studies at them are not recognized by IRCC. The list is publicly available from their website, and an admission letter will usually list the DLI number
  
• Maintain status as a student full-time (there are limited exceptions for going on leave)
• Studied for at least 8 months (short courses are not eligible, nor are ESL/FSL programs).
• Passport expiration: normally a PGWP is not valid past the validity of a graduate’s passport, so it is important for a student to make sure they get the maximum possible length of their PGWP.
• Proof the program was completed. Since there’s often a gap between the last day of classes and the awarding of a diploma, students have 180 days (6 months) to submit the PGWP application after graduation. Students can work, if the conditions on their study permit allow, in the interim period.

There are several other exceptions for the issuing of a PGWP; it is strongly recommended that you speak with an experienced immigration lawyer to ensure that you can apply for and obtain a work permit successfully the first time.
Normally, the work permit cannot be extended beyond the initial validity period, but in 2022 and 2023, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC made policy changes to allow extensions of 18 months, along with interim authorization. The normal 90 day limit on restoring status is also waived in order to allow those who left Canada when their permit expired to return and thus continue contributing to the Canadian economy.
It is self-evidently good policy to allow former students who obtained an education, often over several years in Canada, and then worked for perhaps just as long to be allowed to remain in Canada to prevent any gap in employment between the expiration of the work permit and the submission of an application for a bridging work permit as part of a PR application.
More information about bridging open work permits will be detailed in the next blog post.