The Post-Graduation Work Permit is an open work permit that lets eligible international graduates work for any employer in Canada. It is one of the most valuable immigration assets a graduate can hold: a year of skilled Canadian work experience on a PGWP opens the door to the Canadian Experience Class and strengthens many Provincial Nominee Program applications. But the PGWP is generally available only once in a lifetime, so the application has to be done right the first time.

Are you eligible?

You must satisfy all of the following conditions:

• A PGWP-eligible program at a designated learning institution (DLI). The school must be on IRCC’s DLI list, and that specific institution must offer PGWP-eligible programs, not every DLI qualifies, so confirm before you enrol.
• Program length of at least 8 months (or 900 hours for Quebec programs), leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
• Full-time study throughout, with the only exception being your final academic session.
• Apply within 180 days of receiving official written confirmation that you completed the program (your final transcript or completion letter, whichever comes first).
• Valid study permit at some point during those 180 days.
• At least 50% of your courses completed in person in Canada, the pandemic-era flexibility for distance learning has ended.
• Language requirements (in effect since November 1, 2024): CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills for university degree graduates, CLB/NCLC 5 for college or other graduates.
• Field-of-study requirement (non-degree graduates only): your program’s field of study must be on IRCC’s eligible list. Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral graduates are exempt from this requirement.
• You have never held a PGWP before.

How long will your permit be?

The length of the PGWP follows the length of your program:

Your program	PGWP issued
At least 8 months but less than 2 years	Generally matching the program length
2 years or more	Up to 3 years
A qualifying master’s degree program	Up to 3 years, even if the program is shorter than 2 years

The permit cannot be issued beyond your passport’s expiry date, so renew your passport before applying if it is close to expiring, otherwise you may receive a shorter permit than you earned.

The 180-day window, and the 90-day trap

The 180-day deadline is a hard outer limit: miss it and you lose eligibility entirely. But there is a subtler deadline hiding inside it. Study permits are typically issued for about 90 days past a program’s expected end date, and a study permit automatically becomes invalid 90 days after you complete your studies, even if the printed expiry date is later.

Why does that matter? If you want to work while your PGWP is being processed (see below), you must apply while your study permit is still valid. Waiting near the full 180-day limit risks applying after your study permit has already expired. Treat 90 days as your working target and the 180 days as the outer legal limit.

How to apply

PGWP applications are submitted online through your IRCC secure account. You will typically need your passport, the completion letter and final transcript from your institution, language test results (where applicable), a digital photo, and biometrics. IRCC may also request additional evidence depending on your file. Processing times for inside-Canada applications vary; check IRCC’s current processing-times tool before planning around a date.

Can you work while the application is in process?

This is the question that causes the most anxiety, and the rule is precise. According to IRCC, you can work full-time while waiting for a decision only if, at the time you submitted your PGWP application, all of the following were true:

• You held a valid study permit (not just maintained status from a pending extension).
• You had completed your program of study.
• You were eligible to work off campus without a work permit while studying.
• You did not work off campus more than 24 hours a week during academic sessions.

Meet all four and you can work from the day after you apply, under maintained status, even after your study permit itself expires. If your study permit had already expired when you applied, or you were on maintained status from an extension, you must wait until the PGWP itself is approved. Working without authorization is illegal, and if your PGWP is refused, you must stop working the day IRCC notifies you.

Common pitfalls

• Missing the 180-day deadline. The most final mistake, there is no discretion and no appeal.
• Assuming any program at a DLI qualifies. Check the institution’s PGWP eligibility before enrolling, not after graduating.
• Overlooking the field-of-study and language requirements. These are newer rules (2024 to 2025) that catch graduates who planned around the old criteria.
• Applying after the study permit expired. You may still get the PGWP, but you lose the right to work while you wait.
• More than 50% online study. Distance learning above the threshold disqualifies the application.
• Holding a previous PGWP. With narrow exceptions, it is a once-in-a-lifetime permit.

If your situation has any complications, a lapsed permit, a program change, or questions about the field-of-study list, get advice before you file. Book a paid consultation, 30 minutes ($120), 45 minutes ($160), or 60 minutes ($200), with the fee credited in full toward our representation if you retain the firm.

Faisal Khan, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), NorthPass Immigration Services