Canada's Post-Graduation Work Permit: Everything You Need to Know

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit that lets international students who graduate from a Canadian institution on the DLI list work for between 8 months and 3 years after graduation.

Eligibility criteria: You must have completed a full-time program of at least 8 months at a DLI and received your proof of graduation.

Permit length: It depends on the length of your program — a program of 8 months to 2 years = a permit of the same length; 2 years or longer = a 3-year permit.

When to apply: You must apply within 180 days of receiving your proof of graduation. Your passport must be valid for the full length of the permit.

Language and field-of-study requirements (since November 2024): A language test result is mandatory — CLB/NCLC 7 for university graduates and CLB/NCLC 5 for college and other programs. College and certificate programs must also be in a field of study on the list IRCC publishes.

The PGWP lets you build the Canadian work experience required for the Canadian Experience Class on the path to PR (permanent residence).