International students hoping to remain in Canada on a Post-Graduation Work Permit now have six months to apply once they obtain their notice of graduation and are no longer required to have a valid study permit.
Another corresponding change was the removal of the requirement that international graduates have a valid study permit when applying for a PGWP.
Study permits are generally issued for the duration of the student’s academic program. By effectively removing the valid study permit requirement, students will now have adequate time to obtain the documents they need to apply without the added stress of an expired permit.
“This is huge news for international graduates who are applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit in fact “Doubling the amount of time they have to apply and allowing them to do so beyond the expiration date on their study visa will make a world of a difference for students who want to stay and gain valuable Canadian work experience.”
A Post-Graduation Work Permit is an open work permit that allows international graduates of eligible Canadian designated learning institutions to stay and work in Canada for a period of up to three years after their studies are completed.
In order to be eligible, the study program must be at least eight months long and meet other specified criteria.
One advantage of the PGWP is the fact international graduates are not required to have a Canadian job offer at the time of application.
As an open work permit, international graduates with a PGWP can work in any occupation anywhere in Canada, and change employers at any time.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) notes that skilled Canadian work experience in occupations rated skill level A or B or skill type 0 under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) can help international graduates qualify for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian Experience Class.
The Canadian Experience Class is one of the three Federal High Skilled program managed by Canada’s Express Entry system, which expedites applications for Canadian permanent residence for eligible skilled foreign workers.
