Obtaining a Work Permit After Studying in Canada

International students are allowed to work in Canada while studying without applying for a Work Permit. The main requirement is that a student’s Study Permit must include a specific condition that permits him or her to work, on or off campus. There are various working opportunities for international students in Canada. Note that during regular school semesters, students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week. Working more than 20 hours per week is a violation. Students can lose their student status for doing this and may not be approved for a Study or Work Permit in the future. Only during scheduled breaks in the school year, such as winter and summer holidays, or during an autumn or spring reading week, are foreign students permitted to work full-time.

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program is managed by the federal government. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) administers the application process. Thus, you must apply directly to the IRCC.

What Is It?

A Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is a legal document that permits foreign students who graduated from Canadian tertiary learning institutions to engage in employment in Canada. The PGWP is a special kind of work permit with certain peculiarities:

1. It is an open work permit. This means foreign graduates are allowed to work for any employer (including multiple employers), anywhere in Canada.
2. Under the PGWP, foreign graduates can work in any occupation, even one unrelated to their studies.
3. The PGWP allows graduates to work full-time, part-time, or be self-employed.
4. The PGWP does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This means that Canadian employers can hire international graduates without assessing the impact on the local job market of hiring a foreign national; this in turn may make it easier for graduates to land a job.

Who Is Eligible?

To be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, a foreign national must:

• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Have or had a valid Canadian Study Permit;
• Complete a study program at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) that was at least eight months long and led to a degree, diploma, or certificate;
• Have been a full-time student during each semester of the study program without taking time away from studies (taking a ‘gap’);
• Have completed at least 50% of the study in-person;
• Have a transcript or official Letter of Completion from the educational institution confirming that he or she is eligible to graduate and meets the requirements of the PGWP.

Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit is a type of Temporary Work Permit (TWP). The process of obtaining the PGWP is simpler than that for a regular TWP. It’s also easier for a Canadian employer to hire PGWP-holders than TWP-holders. The PGWP is a fast-track option for obtaining permanent residence in Canada, with the aim being to help foreign graduates gain Canadian work experience. Below, you will find some key differences between the PGWP and TWP.

In 2021, immigrants coming to Canada statistically are enjoying higher incomes than in previous years but are still earning less overall than Canadians. Canadian graduates who are PGWP-holders have higher entry wages in Canada than people who work under the Temporary Work Permit. The median entry annual wages for those with both a study and work permit, i.e. people who obtain a PGWP after graduation from the Canadian university, are CAN $44,000, while those with a work permit only are CAN $39,000. The diagram below shows median entry wages for immigrants admitted in 2017, by pre-admission experience.

If you want to stay in Canada after the PGWP, there are several programs that can match your desire. PGWP provides you with valuable Canadian work experience that gives you access to permanent residence options:

• The Canadian Experience Class is the most common way to transition from temporary resident status to permanent resident status. The largest number of people immigrate to Canada under this program. It is also actively used as a final step for students who work on temporary visas to obtain permanent residence in Canada.
• The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): many provinces and territories offer graduates who have finished their studies in that particular region the opportunity to work and stay on in Canada. There are program streams specifically for students in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

You can find out more about opportunities to obtain permanent residence in Canada after your studies in our article.

However, you can also choose to apply for a new Temporary Work Permit and stay in Canada as a temporary resident.

To ensure the best chances of getting approval for your Post-Graduation Work Permit application, contact our team. We can help you to choose the best way for applying for PGWP based on your personal situation and merits.

The importance of providing clear, complete, and accurate information throughout the process cannot be overstated. It is usually a good idea to seek the assistance of a professional who is an expert in the process so that you avoid making mistakes or providing incorrect information at any step of the process. We can assist you in all stages of your Post-Graduation Work Permit application as well as in the restoration of your student status; we will make the application process as efficient and stress-free.

If you are unsure about your likelihood of successfully obtaining a Post-Graduation Work Permit, contact us for a free evaluation. If you have any other questions that are not addressed in this article, please contact us and we will be happy to help.