After Graduation in Canada: Pathways to PR
After you graduate in Canada, one route to permanent residence has three steps. Apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program. Gain at least one year (1,560 hours) of skilled Canadian work. Then apply through Express Entry, for example the Canadian Experience Class, or a Provincial Nominee Program. Officers decide each step.
180 days
To apply for the PGWP, from confirmation that you completed your program
1,560 hours
Skilled Canadian work the CEC requires, within 3 years
600
CRS points a nomination through an enhanced PNP stream adds
697 to 805
Cut-offs of the 2026 rounds for provincial nominees, through October 26, 2026
IRCC publishes the cut-off of each round, and provincial streams change often.
Who can get a Post-Graduation Work Permit?
The PGWP is an open work permit: you can work for almost any employer in Canada without a job offer or a Labour Market Impact Assessment first. It is issued once, to graduates of eligible Canadian post-secondary programs.
The 2024 reforms added language and, for programs other than bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, field-of-study conditions.
The PGWP eligibility requirements:
- Graduated from a PGWP-eligible Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
- Completed a program at least 8 months long (in Quebec, generally measured as at least 900 hours)
- Maintained full-time student status during each academic session (part-time is generally accepted only in your final session)
- Applied for the PGWP within 180 days of written confirmation that you completed your program
- Held a study permit that was valid at some point in the 180 days after you completed your program
- For PGWP applications on or after November 1, 2024: met the language requirement (CLB/NCLC 7 for university programs, CLB/NCLC 5 for others)
- For a program other than a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, where the study permit application was made on or after November 1, 2024: a field of study on IRCC's list of fields linked to long-term labour shortages. IRCC froze the list for 2026.
| Program length | PGWP validity |
|---|---|
| 8 months to less than 2 years (other than a master's degree) | Up to the length of the program |
| 2 years or more | 3 years (maximum) |
| 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) |
If you already had a PGWP after an earlier program, you cannot get a second one. The one extension IRCC describes is for a permit cut short to your passport expiry date: you can renew your passport, then apply on paper to extend the PGWP for the remainder of the period you were eligible for.
Programs delivered through a curriculum licensing agreement (public-private partnership college programs) are not PGWP-eligible in most cases. IRCC lists two dated exceptions.
What does the Canadian Experience Class require?
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a stream of Express Entry for people who have already gained skilled work experience in Canada. Full-time work (about 30 hours a week for a year) or an equal amount of part-time work counts, and it must be paid. Work done while you were a full-time student, co-op work terms included, does not count.
Apply for a PGWP
Graduate, then apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
Gain skilled Canadian work
Work in Canada in a skilled occupation (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3) and accumulate at least 1 year (1,560 hours) within 3 years.
Meet the language requirement
Generally CLB/NCLC 7 in all four abilities for TEER 0 or 1 jobs, and CLB/NCLC 5 for TEER 2 or 3 jobs.
Enter the Express Entry pool
Create an Express Entry profile.
Receive an invitation
You receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) if your CRS score is selected in a round.
Apply for permanent residence
Submit your PR application. An officer decides it.
Canadian education and Canadian work experience both add Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. Each round has its own cut-off, which IRCC publishes. IRCC also holds category-based rounds, for 2026 including French-language proficiency, healthcare and social services, STEM, trade, education and transport.
The rule
The CEC generally requires at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, which equals 1,560 hours, gained in the 3 years before you apply while you were authorized to work.
Which provinces have streams for graduates?
Some provinces run Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams for international graduates of institutions in that province. A nomination through an Express Entry-aligned (enhanced) stream adds 600 CRS points, and nominees are invited in their own Express Entry rounds.
In 2026, those rounds cut off between 697 and 805, through the round of October 26, 2026. A provincial nominee must settle in the province or territory that nominated them.
| Province | What it offers graduates |
|---|---|
| Ontario (OINP) | The former Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams are closed. Ontario reports that all previous OINP streams are now closed. Amendments to Ontario Regulation 422/17 came into force on June 25, 2026, removing the 8 existing streams and introducing the Ontario Workforce Priority stream. The stream has launched and the expression of interest portal opened on August 4, 2026. It covers skilled workers with a qualifying job offer in any NOC occupation, plus self-employed physicians. |
| British Columbia (BC PNP) | BC no longer lists an International Graduate stream. Its Skills Immigration streams, Skilled Worker and Health Authority, both need a full-time, indeterminate job offer. |
| Alberta (AAIP) | Graduate Entrepreneur Stream for international graduates of approved Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to start or buy a business. |
| Saskatchewan (SINP) | Students sub-category: a credential from a Saskatchewan designated learning institution and at least six months (780 hours) of paid work in Saskatchewan related to your field of study. |
| Manitoba (MPNP) | International Education Stream for graduates of designated Manitoba post-secondary institutions. |
| Nova Scotia (NSNP) | Nova Scotia Graduate stream for recent international graduates of eligible Nova Scotia institutions with a full-time permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer in a listed job category. |
Is Quebec's PEQ open to graduates?
Quebec runs its own immigration system, separate from federal Express Entry, and selects its own skilled workers. The Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ) is a Quebec selection program, and Quebec sets who qualifies. It is administered by the Government of Quebec (the Ministère de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration), not by IRCC.
Where the program stands today (Quebec.ca):
- Quebec stopped receiving PEQ applications on October 31, 2026, after an intake period that opened on July 2, 2026, and says no decision has been made on a new intake period
- Quebec sets the eligibility conditions, including any diploma and French requirements, and publishes them on Quebec.ca
- People who want to settle in Quebec can declare their interest in Arrima and may receive an invitation to the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés
- Selection by Quebec is a separate step before the federal PR application
What does the Atlantic Immigration Program ask of graduates?
The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a federal, employer-driven PR pathway (not a provincial nominee program) across the four Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. A recent graduate of a recognized post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada may be exempt from its work experience requirement.
Every other requirement still applies:
- A job offer from an employer designated under the AIP program
- Education for the job
- A language test
- Proof of funds, unless you already work in Canada with a valid work permit
- A settlement plan from a service provider organization
Which free tool checks your own case?
- NOC FinderYour occupation code and TEER level
- Language ConverterIELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF and TCF to CLB
- Processing TimesIRCC wait times by program
Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.
What do people ask?
What work permit can I get after graduation in Canada?
Graduates of eligible programs can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), an open work permit that lets you work for almost any employer without a job offer or LMIA. You must apply within 180 days of written confirmation that you finished an eligible program at a PGWP-eligible DLI. Its length depends on your program, up to 3 years, and it is issued once. Our PGWP guide covers eligibility in detail.
How long does it take to go from graduation to permanent residence?
On the Canadian Experience Class route it takes at least a year of work plus processing, because the CEC needs 1 year (1,560 hours) of skilled Canadian work before you can enter the Express Entry pool. After that, timing depends on when your CRS score is invited and on IRCC processing, which changes often. Our Processing Times page shows IRCC's current figures for each step.
Which provinces have PNP streams for international graduates?
Some do. Saskatchewan has a Students sub-category, Manitoba an International Education Stream, Nova Scotia a Nova Scotia Graduate stream, and Alberta a Graduate Entrepreneur Stream. A nomination through an enhanced stream adds 600 CRS points, and a nominee must settle in the province that nominated them. Our BC PNP guide shows how one program works.
Can I apply for PR before my PGWP expires?
Yes. You can apply through Express Entry or a PNP while you hold a PGWP. If you applied for PR through Express Entry and your complete application has passed the completeness check, you may be able to get a Bridging Open Work Permit to keep working. Our Open Work Permit Eligibility guide explains the bridging permit.
Do I need a language test for the PGWP now?
Yes, for PGWP applications submitted on or after November 1, 2024. The level depends on your credential: CLB/NCLC 7 in all four abilities for graduates of university programs, and CLB/NCLC 5 for college, polytechnic and other non-university graduates. Applications submitted before that date do not need to meet this requirement. Our Language Converter tool translates test scores into CLB levels.
What is the field-of-study requirement for the PGWP, and does it apply to me?
It applies to every program other than a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree where the study permit application was made on or after November 1, 2024. Those graduates must have studied in an eligible field linked to long-term labour shortages. IRCC says the list of eligible fields can change, and it froze the list for 2026, so check your program on canada.ca.
Can I get a PGWP if I studied online from outside Canada?
Not for the online part. Distance study can reduce or remove PGWP eligibility: a program done more than 50% through distance learning is not eligible, and under the current rules time spent studying outside Canada is deducted from the length of the PGWP. IRCC's temporary pandemic exceptions have largely ended. Our How to Choose a DLI guide covers school choice.
How much work experience do I need for the Canadian Experience Class?
You need at least 1 year of skilled work in Canada, which equals 1,560 hours, gained in the 3 years before you apply while you were authorized to work. It must be paid and in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job. Work done while you were a full-time student, co-op work terms included, does not count. Our NOC Finder shows your job's TEER level.
Part of:Studying in Canada
- GIC for a Canada Study Permit
- How to Choose a DLI in Canada: What Students Need to Know
- SDS Is Gone: What Replaced the Student Direct Stream
The textbook on this subject
Volume 2: Immigrating to Canada $79
The economic and family pathways to permanent residence, explained from the published criteria.
Follow on Facebook to hear when the library opens (opens in a new tab)Official sources
This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.