Core eligibility review
- PGWP-eligible DLI and program.
- Program length and credential requirements.
- Full-time study history and authorized exceptions.
- Application within the permitted timeframe.
Post-Graduation Work Permit
Post-Graduation Work Permit Canada: PGWP Eligibility
Graduated in Canada? Turn it into work experience.
The PGWP is an open work permit that lets eligible graduates work for most Canadian employers and build work experience that supports long-term immigration pathways.
On This Page
- Post-Graduation Work Permit overview
- Institution, program and study-history eligibility
- Language and field-of-study requirements
- Application deadline and status
- Working while the PGWP is processed
- Eligibility and application requirements
- PGWP document checklist
- How the process works
- How Simmi Immigration can help
- Frequently asked questions
Overview
Post-Graduation Work Permit overview
A Post-Graduation Work Permit is an open work permit for eligible graduates of qualifying Canadian programs. It can allow work for most employers and provide Canadian experience that may support a later immigration application.
A PGWP is generally available only once. Confirm the institution, program, study history and current rules before relying on it as part of a long-term plan.
Institution, program and study-history eligibility
The program must be PGWP-eligible and generally at least eight months long, or 900 hours for certain Quebec credentials. Attending a DLI does not automatically make every program eligible.
Full-time status, authorized leave, part-time final semesters, online study and transfers can affect eligibility. Review the complete study history rather than only the final credential.
Language and field-of-study requirements
Most applicants who file on or after November 1, 2024 must provide approved English or French results. Degree graduates generally need CLB or NCLC 7 in all four abilities. Many college and other non-university graduates generally need CLB or NCLC 5.
Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates do not have a field-of-study requirement. Other graduates may need an eligible CIP code depending on when the study permit application was submitted. IRCC has frozen the eligible field list for 2026.
Application deadline and status
Applicants generally have 180 days after the school confirms program completion to apply. The study permit must have been valid at some point during that period, subject to the detailed inside- and outside-Canada rules.
Passport expiry may shorten the permit. If status expires or the applicant travels, the filing and work-authority strategy should be reviewed before action is taken.
Working while the PGWP is processed
Some graduates who apply from inside Canada may work full-time while waiting if they met all relevant conditions, including holding a valid study permit when they applied and being eligible to work off campus during their studies.
An application receipt alone is not enough. Confirm every condition and keep evidence of the timely application.
Key information
Eligibility and application requirements
Eligibility, supporting evidence and practical considerations for this application.
Newer application requirements
- Approved English or French test.
- Required CLB or NCLC level.
- Eligible field of study where applicable.
- Evidence of the program’s CIP code where required.
Permit length factors
- Credential and eligible program length.
- Special treatment for qualifying master’s programs.
- Passport expiry date.
- Previous PGWP issuance.
Common refusal concerns
- Ineligible program or institution.
- Late filing or status gaps.
- Missing language or CIP evidence.
- Unresolved leave, part-time or distance-study periods.
Checklist
PGWP document checklist
The checklist depends on program type, study-permit date and filing location.
- Passport and current immigration documents.
- Official completion letter.
- Official transcript or accepted transcript record.
- Approved language test results, where required.
- Proof of eligible field of study, where required.
- Study permit and prior status records.
- Evidence for authorized leave, transfers or part-time study.
- Explanation of distance learning or time outside Canada.
- Restoration documents, where applicable.
- Supporting evidence requested by IRCC.
Step by step
How the process works
- 1
Confirm program eligibility
Check the DLI, program and credential.
- 2
Review study history
Assess full-time status, leave, transfers and online study.
- 3
Check language and CIP
Identify the current requirements for your credential.
- 4
Calculate the deadline
Use the official completion-confirmation date.
- 5
Prepare and submit
File the completion, transcript and supporting evidence.
- 6
Confirm work authority
Work only if every waiting-period condition is met.
Why us
What you get working with Simmi Immigration
A
Eligibility audit
Review more than the school name and credential.
B
Deadline control
Calculate the 180-day period and status implications.
C
New-rule review
Confirm language and field-of-study evidence.
D
Future planning
Connect authorized work to realistic PR options.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
Generally 180 days after your school confirms that you completed the program. Status and document requirements also apply.
No. A school can be a DLI while some of its programs are not eligible for a PGWP.
Most applications filed on or after November 1, 2024 require approved English or French results. The level depends on the credential and institution type.
It may, depending on the credential and the date of the study permit application. Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates are exempt from the field requirement.
The period depends on the credential, eligible program length, special master’s rules and passport validity, up to the program maximum.
Some in-Canada graduates can work full-time if they met all of IRCC’s conditions when they submitted the PGWP application.
A PGWP is generally available only once.
No. Any PR application is assessed separately under its own requirements.
Next step
Protect your PGWP deadline
We review eligibility, timing, study history and supporting documents before a PGWP application is submitted so avoidable refusals or short-issued permits do not derail later plans.
This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Program rules change and individual circumstances matter. Confirm current IRCC requirements before applying.
Talk to a regulated consultant
We confirm eligibility, flag the risks, and build the document plan before anything is filed.
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