Post-Graduate Work Permit

Foreign nationals who have successfully completed a post-secondary program in Canada as international students can apply for their post-graduation work permit (PGWP). With these work permits, international students can live and work in the country after completion of their studies.

Requirements

The following are the requirements for a post graduation work permit:

• Age should be 18 years at the time of application.
• Must have currently valid study permit.
• Must have graduated from an approved educational institution where you have studied full-time for at least 8 months prior to application (900 hours).
• You must apply within 90 days of receiving (written) a work permit confirming that you have met the requirements and are eligible to graduate the program.

It is important to note that you will not be eligible according to Canadian government regulations if you:

• Study in a program of less than eight months.
• Participate in a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
• Participate in the Government of Canada Award Program funded by the GAC.
• Obtaining funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
• Attend Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada-Chile.
• Participate in the Canada-China Scholars Exchange Program.
• Participate in the organization of the American States Fellowship Program.
• Participate in a distance education program from abroad or from within Canada.
• A post-graduation work permit has been issued earlier than any other program of study.

Program privileges

This visa will allow you to work in Canada and gain valuable Canadian experience that will be based on the work you have studied in school. Ultimately, it is the first step to being able to qualify for permanent residency under the very popular Canadian Experience Class (CEC) designation and as such, qualify for all rights and benefits.