Getting a job in Canada normally requires a work permit, and there are different types of work permits for different statuses.
After graduating as an international student, your study permit expires, and you are supposed to go back to your country.
If you do not wish to go back to your country, you should consider a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP).
What Is A Post-Graduation Work Permit?
A post-graduation work permit otherwise referred to as (PGWP) is a permit given by the Canadian government to international students that have graduated, in order for them to remain in Canada and work after their graduation from a Canadian post-secondary institution.
The PGWP is valid for 3 years, and you do not necessarily need to work in a field to qualify for application as you also do not need a job offer to apply for this.
It is advisable to contact International Student Advising to know when to apply as the PGWPs can only be issued to an individual once in a lifetime.
What Are The Requirements for Post Graduate Work Permit In Canada?
If you successfully obtain a PGWP, you will automatically get a temporary residence permit in Canada, hence, the requirement is bulky.
Below is a list of requirements you need in other to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit in Canada.
- You should be a minimum of 18 years old.
- You should have studied in Canada as a full-time student for at least 8 months;
- You should complete your study and present proof for that.
- You would have to have graduated from any of the following institutions:
- University in any Canadian province, public college or a vocational education program from Quebec.
- Private college or university which abides by the same rules as a public university or college in Quebec.
- post-secondary school in Quebec which offers programs of 900 hours, private secondary or longer and leads to a professional diploma
- Canadian private school which can award degrees such as a Bachelor’s, Masters, or Ph.D.
- You should have to apply for a work permit within 90 days of your graduation.
- You should have a valid study permit at the time of your application for the work permit.
Can I qualify for PGWP if I do not have these requirements? Yea. Basically, there are some cases that wave the above requirements, see them below:
- That you enrolled in an accelerated program which was supposed to last for 8 months, but you finished it in 6 months;
- That you transferred from one DLI to another and the combined length of your studies in the two institutions was more than 8 months;
- That you transferred from an institution that was not a DLI to one that is a DLI and studied for 8 months or more in the DLI (all the time spent at non-DLI schools do not count.);
- That you studied part-time during your last semester due to a lighter course load;
- That you are a flight instructor who:
- Has finished a course on flight training at any Canadian training centre and have been given a Canadian commercial pilot license, or
- You are in the process of getting the instructor rating and a job offer in the position of a flight instructor from a flight training centre;
- For those graduating from a Quebec vocational or professional training program you must fulfil these criteria:
- You must have graduated from a public or private secondary school or from a private post-secondary school;
- Your diploma must be a Diploma in Vocational Studies (DEP), Attestation of Vocational Specialization (ASP), Diploma in College Studies (DEC), or Attestation of College Studies (AEC);
- Your study program should have been full time for 8 months or even more.
If you do not fulfil this requirement, you are to leave Canada to your him e country on or before 90 days after graduation.
Note: You won’t be eligible for a PGWP if you are in the following cases:
- You have been in a study program that is less than 8 months long;
- Your study time is more than 8 months but wasn’t continuous.
- You were among the Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program that is funded by the Global Affairs Canada (GAC);
- That you were part of the Government of Canada Awards Program GCAW funded by the GAC;
- You had funding from the GAC;
- That you had an Equal Opportunity Scholarship of Canada – Chile;
- You were part of the Canada – China Scholars Exchanges Program;
- You were part of the Organization of American States Fellowships Program;
- You have completed your study program as a distance learning student from abroad or from within Canada;
- You have already had a PGWP.
How To Apply For PGWP?
Application for Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) takes quite some time. There are 2 ways to apply, which includes online and on paper. It is advisable to use the online service as it has a faster process.
It doesn’t matter where you are. Everyone eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) can apply either from outside or within Canada.
If you wish to stay back in Canada after graduation, you can do that within the 180 days given to you to apply for PGWP.
This 180 day starts counting after you have received a confirmation from your school that you completed your study program. This could be a degree, diploma, transcript or official letter from your school.
International students whose study permit will expire before applying for a PGWP should change their status to visitors before it expires.
And if you have a limited time less than 90 days after your study permit expires to restore your status, you will have to leave Canada after 90 days.
Get Your Required Documents Ready
Below are the documents required to apply for a PGWP
- an official letter from your school confirming the completion of your study program
- an official transcript, or one copy of your transcript from your school’s website
Upon coming for application, more documents may be requested.
On top of that, you may also need to provide your fingerprints and photo (biometrics).
How to Apply for PGWP From Outside Canada
You can apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit from outside Canada. People outside Canada have 2 options to choose from, either online or on paper. You will have to choose between these 2 methods of how you wish to apply.
How to Apply for PGWP From Inside Canada
International students inside Canada should apply online. If you are not able to apply online, you can submit a paper if either:
- you can’t apply online because of a disability
- there’s a problem with the online application
Apply For Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) Online
Some reasons you need to apply online include:
- There’s no courier fee or mail delivery time – applications are gotten instantly.
- Applications are processed more quickly.
- You are guaranteed of submitting a complete application.
- If more documents are requested, you can easily upload them.
- You monitor the progress of your application process in your online account.
Follow the steps below to apply online:
Step 1: Get every necessary document you will be needing for this process.
To apply online, you’ll need:
A clear camera or a scanner in other to create electronic copies of your documents, also, a valid credit or debit card is required.
Step 2: Read the instruction guide
Whether you apply online or offline, it’s important to go through the instruction guide before you complete your application. This will guide you through completing every field in the form.
Step 3: Make sure you have answers to every form before starting the process. In short, get all your answers ready before time as your answers will be used to create a personalized document checklist for you.
Step 4: You will pay some fees which include:
- processing fees. This is for you and anybody included on your application
- biometrics
You will be asked to pay the fees at the end of your application. You will have to pay for both the open work permit holder fee and the work permit fee.
Third-Party Fees
If your situation requires a third party fee, you may have to spend extra money. Note that these fees will be paid directly to the third-party agent and not the Canadian Government. These third-party fees include (medical exams police certificates and services at a Visa Application Centre if you use one)
Biometrics Fee
Not everyone needs a biometric, but in a situation where you may need one, it is advisable to pay when you submit your application.
The reason for paying on form submission is to avoid delays. This fee covers the cost of collecting fingerprints and a digital photo.
Step 5: Go ahead to creating your account online. Things you can do with your account online includes (pay your fees, submit your application, and check your status)
Apply For Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) On Paper
Step 1: Make sure you get the application package, this package includes the instruction guide and all forms you will be needing.
Make sure you read the instruction guide before you go ahead filling your form as this guide helps you in filling your form and getting to know how to go around the process.
You will not be refunded if you are not approved, so kindly check your eligibility for a PGWP before you apply.
Step 2: Complete your application and attach the required documents as your application may be delayed if some documents are missing
Check the application package to see a checklist of documents you may need. Your answers should be carefully selected and truthful
Third-party fees
If your situation requires a third party fee, you may have to spend extra money. Note that these fees will be paid directly to the third-party agent and not the Canadian Government.
These third-party fees include; (medical exams, police certificates, language testing and services at a Visa Application Centre, if you use one).
Step 3: You will pay some fees which include:
- processing fees. This is for you and anybody included on your application
- biometrics
Your fees should be paid online before submitting your application. You will have to pay both the open work permit holder fee and the work permit fee. Follow the guide below to do this:
- Click here to pay your fees online.
- Select Temporary Residence to see a list of fee options.
- Select both the work permit fee alongside the open work permit holder fee.
- It’s easy, follow the instructions you see to complete your payment. Make sure you save a copy of your receipt somewhere on your computer.
- Print and attach one copy of your receipt to your completed application.
Biometrics fee
Biometrics Fee
Not everyone needs a biometric, but in a situation where you may need one, it is advisable to pay when you submit your application.
The reason for paying on form submission is to avoid delays. This fee covers the cost of collecting fingerprints and a digital photo.
Step 4: Submit your completed application by sending it to the address in the application package. Do not forget to attach your fee receipt and all the necessary documents as well.
How Long Is The Processing Time For PGWP?
After submitting your Post Graduate Work Permit application, you have to wait for the processing time.
The processing time varies for those who applied online and those who applied on paper.
The online system processing time is 51 days, while the paper application, processing time takes 107 days.
Can I Get A Permanent Residence In Canada With A PGWP?
Canada Residency has its own requirements, therefore if you apply for a PGWP, you do not automatically qualify for a permanent residency in Canada.
You can gain a Canada Residency through working such as:
- Canadian Experience Class;
- Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP);
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
- Provincial Nominee Program;
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot.
Your qualification for any of these permanent residence programs is dependent on some factors including language abilities (English and/or French), job type (managerial, trade, skilled, etc), Also if you have relations in Canada who are either citizens or permanent residents, it makes it easier for you.
