Work Permit after Graduation in Canada
Post-Graduate Work Permit Program in Canada:
Students graduated from institutes in Canada can apply for post-graduate work permit program (PGWPP) or work permit (or work visa). This program is offered to individuals who have high school diploma and higher level degrees to stay in Canada and have work experience there. The work experience achieved through this program can be used as a score in application for permanent residency. Graduating and applying for PGWPP (post-graduate work visa), the applicant can work full time. Work permit allows applicant to work in any company or job and with any employee. There is no limitation for work hours and applicant is not limited to a certain employee or job and he/she can change her/his job. The applicants don’t need to have a job offer at the time of applying for work permit.
Deadline for Applying for Post-Graduate Work Permit in Canada
According to the last website update of Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada, Canadian universities’ graduates have 180 days to apply for Post-Graduation Work Permit after graduation in Canada (formerly this time was 90 days).
A very important point here is that the applicant need to apply for this permit when her/his permission documents are valid not expired. Generally, universities and colleges give a letter to students at the end of any program stating that this person can begin to work in Canada if she/he wants. The time of receiving this letter is the best time to apply for a work permit. This is very important because immediately after graduation, the student is not allowed to work anymore unless she/he has applied for PGWPP.
During the time when the student has submitted her/his application for work permit to Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada but the permit doesn’t issued yet, and she/he doesn’t have permit, she/he is in “Implied Status” in Canada.
Fortunately, a person in this status is allowed to work and her/his work will be acceptable in programs leading to permanent residency in Canada.
The Length of Work Post-Graduate Work Permit in Canada
A post-graduate work permit may be valid between 8 months and up to three years. The length of your permit will depend on the length of the study program you completed in Canada. Work permit is not issued for programs with length of less than 8 months. If a student completed a part of the study program outside of Canada and then was transferred to Canada for remaining part which was more than 8 months, and her/his degree was issued in Canada, she/he is eligible to receive work permit.
The Length of post-graduate work permit based on length of study program is summarized as followings:
- Programs shorter than 8 months are not eligible
- 8 month to two year programs: two year work permit
- two year programs and longer: three year work permit
Requirements for Application of Post-Graduate Work Permit
- The applicant need to complete a program longer than 8 months as a full time student (except for last semester which is allowed to be part time or as academic absence) resulting in receiving a valid degree in Canada.
- The applicant need to graduate from a public or private institute of higher education (which is working under rules and regulations similar to public institutes) or from a private secondary school or post-secondary school (post-high school) (in Québec) offering eligible programs for at least 900 hours or more resulting in receiving a diploma of vocational studies (DVS) degree or attestation of vocational specialization (AVS) degree, or from a private institute in Canada qualified to give an educational degree (such as bachelor, master’s or Ph.D. degree) to students.
A post-graduate work permit will be not issued for applicants who:
- Completed a study program less than 8 months;
- Attended in a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship program which is not supported by Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada- DFATD;
- Used scholarship of Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) ;
- Attended in Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada-Chile ;
- Attended in Canada-China Scholars Exchanges Program;
- Attended in Organization of American States Fellowships Program ;
- Completed most or all part of her/his study as online;
- Hade already received a Post-graduate work permit;
- Graduated from Non-Canadian institute located inside Canada.
Bridging Open Work Permit
If the applicant is in Implied Status for permanent residence of Canada and her/his work visa is going to be expired, she/he may use Bridging Open Work Permit (B OWP). This program allows the person to continue her/his work while waiting for receiving a permanent residence Canada. For this purpose, the person need to be present in Canada, have a valid work visa which will be expired in less than four months, and attend in one of the following immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Caring for Children Class
- Caring for People with High Medical Needs Class
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