PGWP Canada: Post-Graduation Work Permit
The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit for international students who finish a program of at least 8 months at an eligible designated learning institution. It lasts 8 months to 3 years, depending on program length. You apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program, and a PGWP is issued once. An officer decides each application.
$255
IRCC’s fee: work permit processing plus the open work permit holder fee
$85
Biometrics, where required
16 weeks
IRCC’s current processing estimate, which changes often
180 days
To apply, from confirmation that you completed your program
Fees can change, so confirm the current amounts on the official IRCC fee list before you pay.
Who is eligible for a PGWP?
The PGWP is an open work permit issued under IRPR section 205(c)(ii). It lets international graduates work for almost any employer in Canada, in any occupation, without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). An officer decides each application.
A PGWP is issued once: IRCC will not issue a second one after a later program. What it requires starts at the study permit stage, so IRCC advises checking the PGWP requirements before you submit your study permit application.
You must meet all of the following requirements:
- Held a study permit that was valid at some point during the 180 days after you completed your program
- Completed an eligible program of study at a PGWP-eligible DLI
- Program was at least 8 months in duration
- Studied full-time in each academic session (part-time in your final session is acceptable); authorized leave of up to 150 days, with proof from your DLI, is allowed
- Received proof that you completed your program: your degree, diploma or certificate, an official letter from your school, or an official transcript
- Applied within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program
If your study permit expires before you apply, you can get visitor status (a visitor record) or leave Canada and apply from outside. If you stay and let it expire, you must apply to restore your status as a student, within 90 days of losing it, to apply for your PGWP.
These programs do not qualify:
- English or French as a second language (ESL/FSL) programs
- General interest or personal enrichment courses
- Programs where more than 50% of the study was distance learning (with some pandemic exceptions)
- Programs at non-DLI institutions or DLIs not eligible for PGWP
- Non-credit programs (except a flight school program)
- A program at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada
The rule
The Post-Graduation Work Permit is an open work permit for international students who complete a program at an eligible designated learning institution in Canada.
Do the field-of-study and language rules apply to you?
If you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024, PGWP eligibility for every program other than a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree depends on the field of study. If you applied for your study permit before November 1, 2024, the field-of-study rule does not apply to you.
For every other program, including college and polytechnic programs and university certificates and diplomas, the program's code must be on IRCC's list of eligible fields, linked to jobs in long-term shortage, when you submit either your study permit application or your PGWP application. The list has six categories: agriculture and agri-food; healthcare and social services; STEM; trade; transport; education. For 2026, IRCC will not add or remove fields.
Programs delivered through a curriculum licensing agreement (a private college teaching a public college's program) are not PGWP-eligible in most cases. Two exceptions: you began, on or before May 15, 2024, a program a private college delivered for a public college in the same province, or, between provinces, on or before January 31, 2023.
Not all programs offered by a DLI are eligible. IRCC’s DLI list (opens in a new tab) shows which schools offer PGWP-eligible programs.
| Program you graduated from | Minimum level, in English or French |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree | CLB/NCLC 7 |
| Any other university program (non-degree) | CLB/NCLC 7 |
| Any other college, polytechnic or non-university program | CLB/NCLC 5 |
The language rule is tied to your PGWP application date, not your study permit date. Results must cover all four abilities, from a test taken within the last 2 years; confirm current accepted tests on canada.ca.
Graduates of a PGWP-eligible flight school are generally exempt from the language and field-of-study requirements under current policy; confirm the current exemptions on canada.ca.
How long does a PGWP last?
The length of your PGWP depends on the level and length of your program of study, and on your passport expiry date, whichever comes first.
| Program length | PGWP duration |
|---|---|
| Less than 8 months | Not eligible |
| 8 months to less than 2 years (other than a master's degree) | Up to the same length as the program |
| 2 years or more | 3 years |
| Two eligible programs (combined 2+ years) | 3 years (each program must be at least 8 months) |
| Master's degree, at least 8 months (900 hours in Quebec) | 3 years, even if the program was under 2 years (in force February 15, 2024; certificate and diploma programs are excluded) |
How do you apply, and what does it cost?
Complete your program
Your DLI confirms that you completed your program. The 180-day clock runs from that confirmation.
180 days
Gather documents
Proof of completion, an official transcript (proof of full-time study), language test results (if required under 2024+ rules), proof that your field of study is eligible where that rule applies, and medical exam results where applicable.
Apply online
In most cases, you must apply online for a PGWP. Pay the IRCC fees, plus $85 for biometrics if required.
$255
Maintained status
You can work full time until IRCC decides your PGWP application if you had a valid study permit when you applied, completed your program, and were eligible to work off campus while studying and did not work more hours than allowed. If IRCC refuses the permit, you must stop working the day you are notified.
IRPR s.186(w)
Receive your PGWP
Once approved, you receive an open work permit valid for the determined duration.
16 weeks
What happens when your PGWP expires?
The PGWP is issued once. The one extension IRCC describes is for a permit cut short by passport expiry: you can renew your passport and then apply on paper to extend the PGWP for the remainder of the period you were eligible for.
Otherwise, when it expires you must have another valid immigration status to remain in Canada:
- If you applied for permanent residence through Express Entry: a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) may be available once your complete application has passed the completeness check
- If you have a job offer: your employer can support an LMIA-based closed work permit
- If you applied for permanent residence as a provincial nominee: the BOWP also covers PNP applicants, if your nomination sets no employment restrictions
- If none of the above: you may need to apply for visitor status or leave Canada before your PGWP expires
One route from student status to permanent residence runs through the PGWP, by the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The Canadian Experience Class guide covers the rest.
Which free tool checks your own case?
- Language ConverterIELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF and TCF to CLB
- Fee CalculatorCurrent government fees, itemized
- Processing TimesIRCC wait times by program
Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.
What do people ask?
Who is eligible for a PGWP?
The rules ask for a program of at least 8 months at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution, full-time study in each session (part-time allowed in the final one), a study permit that was valid at some point in the 180 days after you finished, and an application within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program. An officer decides. The eligibility section above lists every condition, and the Study Permit guide covers the steps before it.
How long is a post-graduation work permit valid?
From 8 months to 3 years. A program of 8 months to under 2 years gives a PGWP up to the program's length, and a program of 2 years or more gives 3 years. The PGWP Duration table above shows each case, and the Post-Study Pathways guide covers what comes next.
Can you extend a PGWP?
Only in one case. If IRCC cut your PGWP short because your passport expired before the full period you were eligible for, you can renew your passport and apply on paper to extend it for the rest of that period. Otherwise a PGWP is issued once. The Work Permit Extension guide explains the permits that can follow a PGWP.
Can you get a PGWP twice?
No. IRCC's eligibility rules exclude anyone who already received a PGWP. You can combine two eligible programs finished before you apply, each at least 8 months long, for a 3-year permit when the total is 2 years or more. The Canadian Experience Class guide explains how to use your one PGWP toward permanent residence.
Do I need a language test for my PGWP?
Yes, for any PGWP application submitted on or after November 1, 2024. You need valid results in all four abilities, less than 2 years old when you apply: CLB/NCLC 7 for university graduates and CLB/NCLC 5 for college, polytechnic and other non-university graduates. Confirm accepted tests on canada.ca, and use the Language Converter to turn IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF or TCF scores into CLB levels.
What are the PGWP field-of-study rules?
They apply if you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024, to every program other than a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree. The program's code must be on IRCC's list of eligible fields, linked to jobs in long-term shortage, when you submit either your study permit or your PGWP application. The How to Choose a DLI guide covers picking a school and program.
How much does a PGWP cost in 2026?
IRCC fees are generally CAD $155 for work permit processing plus a CAD $100 open work permit holder fee, $255 in total, and biometrics are usually $85 per person where required. The Fee Calculator on this site adds up the government fees for your application.
What is the PGWP processing time?
IRCC's estimate changes often, so check the current figure before you plan. While you wait, you can work full time if you had a valid study permit when you applied, completed your program, and were eligible to work off campus while studying without working more hours than allowed: IRPR s.186(w) authorizes that work. The Processing Times page tracks IRCC's published estimates, and the Maintained Status guide explains the rules that apply while you wait for a decision.
Part of:Studying in Canada
- Study Permit Proof of Funds 2026: How Much Money You Need
- Canada Student Visa for Indian Students: 2026 Guide
- Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) for a Study Permit
The textbook on this subject
Volume 2: Immigrating to Canada $79
The economic and family pathways to permanent residence, explained from the published criteria.
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This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.