Graduation alone is not enough
A PGWP is available only when the applicant, the school and the program all meet IRCC's rules. The program must be at least 8 months long (900 hours in Quebec) and offered by a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI). The student must have been enrolled full time in every term, although the final term may be part-time.
Some programs and situations are not eligible, including English or French as a second language programs, general-interest courses and non-credit programs (other than flight school). A person who has ever received a PGWP cannot receive another. Most programs that a private college delivers under licence from a public college are not eligible, subject to limited exceptions for students who started before certain dates.
Language and field-of-study rules
Applicants who apply on or after November 1, 2024 must generally submit approved English or French language test results. The level depends on the credential:
- Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) / NCLC 7 in all four skills for graduates of a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree or another university program.
- CLB/NCLC 5 in all four skills for graduates of other college, polytechnic or non-university programs.
Accepted tests are CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. Results must be less than two years old on the day you apply.
Graduates of college, polytechnic or other non-university programs, and of non-degree university programs such as certificates and diplomas, whose study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024, must also show that the program's six-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code is on IRCC's eligible field-of-study list. Degree graduates are exempt from this requirement. IRCC has said that for 2026 it will not add or remove any eligible fields of study, but applicants still need to find the correct CIP code for their own program and check whether the requirement applies to them.
Timing and status matter
- Apply within 180 days of receiving written confirmation that you completed your program. Your study permit must have been valid at some point during those 180 days.
- If you apply while your study permit is still valid, you may be able to keep working full time while the application is processed, if you completed your program, were eligible to work off campus without a work permit while studying and did not work more hours than the off-campus rules allowed.
- If your study permit has already expired, you can still apply within 90 days, but you must also pay to restore your status and you cannot work until the PGWP is approved.
- The fee is CAN$255 in total (CAN$155 for the work permit and CAN$100 for the open work permit holder fee), plus CAN$85 for biometrics if they are required.
Before filing
Review the final transcript, the program completion letter, passport validity, language results and the complete history of your studies and any leaves. If there was part-time study, an authorized leave, a school transfer or a status problem, explain it accurately and include supporting records where appropriate. For the program's field of study, upload the proof of the CIP code if the requirement applies to you.