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What is a Post-Graduation Work Permit?

´¡â€¯â€¯is an open work permit that allows students who have graduated from an eligible Designated Learning Institution (VCC's DLI number is O19279717512) to work full time in Canada and gain valuable Canadian work experience. A PGWP is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Students completing an additional certificate or diploma, or completing a degree may decide to wait until after completing the full period of study before applying for the PGWP. 

 

Who Can Apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit?

International students may be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after graduation, provided they meet all set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The requirements vary depending on factors such as the type of study program (e.g., College, University, or other programs), the location of the program (whether the graduate studied inside or outside Canada), and the field of study (if applicable). 

 

PGWP Eligibility Criteria for VCC Graduates 

At 69³ÉÈ˵çÓ°Íø (VCC), international students who successfully graduate from an eligible program may be able to apply for a PGWP, provided they meet all the PGWP eligibility criteria listed below: 

  • Have completed a full-time program of study at VCC that was at least 8 months long, and that led to a Certificate, Diploma or Degree, and 
    • Have submitted a study permit application before November 1, 2024: no field of study requirements; or 
    • Have submitted a study permit application on or after November 1, 2024: must graduate from an  
  • Have maintained full-time academic status as an international student in Canada, with the exception of , , and the  
  • Have studied at least 50% of their program in-person inside Canada (an exception to the  to study online until August 31, 2024) 
  • Have met one of the : 
    • English Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) minimum level 5  
    • French Niveaux de Competence Linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) 5 in all 4 language areas 
  • Apply for a PGWP within 180 days after obtaining VCC Program Completion Letter, and 
    • Study permit was valid at some point during the 180 days after you graduated.

 

Length of a Post-Graduation Work Permit

The length of a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) will vary from a minimum of 8 months to a maximum of 3 years, depending on the length of your program(s) of studies in Canada.  

Please note that international students must meet all  to obtain a PGWP. The issuance of a PGWP is ultimately at the sole discretion of IIRCC. 

For a complete understanding of PGWP length, please visit . 

For the full list of VCC programs, please refer to the program listing page. 

Disclaimer: Eligibility for a PGWP is under the discretion of IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) when reviewing student’s application. 

 

PGWP Eligible Programs for VCC Graduates 

No Field Of Study Requirement: 

International students that have submitted a study permit application before November 1, 2024, don’t need to meet the field of study requirement. The PGWP will be calculated based on the program length. 

  • VCC Certificates of less than 8 months: These programs are not eligible for a PGWP. 
  • VCC Certificates of 8 months, but less than 2 years: These programs may be eligible for a PGWP for up to the same length as your program.  ·¡³æ³¦±ð±è³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô: °Õ³ó±ð University Transfer Certificate programs do not guarantee a PGWP as they may not guarantee full-time academic status. 
  • VCC Diploma, Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree and Post-Degree Diplomas of 2 years or longer: These programs may be eligible for a PGWP for up to 3 years.  

Field Of Study Requirement: 

International students that have submitted a study permit application on or after November 1, 2024, must graduate in an eligible field of study. Below, please find VCC’s Programs of Study that align with and their Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes:

List of VCC programs eligible to the PGWP

 

VCC Documents, Graduation, and Application Timeline

You will need the following documents from VCC to apply for your PGWP: 

  • VCC Program Completion Letter 
  • VCC Electronic Transcript 

Program Completion Letter and Electronic Transcript

Once you have successfully completed your program and all of your grades have been entered by your instructors, the graduation audit will begin. Please be aware that this process may take up to 6 weeks to complete. If you are eligible to graduate, you will be awarded the credential and automatically receive your Program Completion letter and your electronic transcript by email from ieservices@vcc.ca. You can use both documents to submit your PGWP application. If there is a hold on your account, you will not automatically receive these documents. Please rectify your hold and contact ieservices@vcc.ca to request these documents. 

This is included below:

Graduating from Full-Time Regular Programs:  

  • Students graduating with their original cohorts will be automatically assessed for graduation after their grades have been entered. 
  • Students NOT graduating with their original cohorts (i.e. as an insert student with a different cohort, due to failing classes or taking a leave outside of the scheduled breaks), you are required to submit the Application for Graduation Form to the VCC Registrar’s Office at records@vcc.ca. 
  • Students graduating from a university transfer program (i.e. University Transfer Certificate or Associate of Science), are required to submit the Application for Graduation Form to the VCC Registrar’s Office at records@vcc.ca.

Graduating from Full-Time Continuing Studies Programs: 

Students graduating from full-time continuing studies programs must submit the Application for Graduation Form to VCC Continuing Studies at continuingstudies@vcc.ca within a month before completing their programs. 

List of Full-Time Continuing Studies Programs: 

 

VCC Official Transcript

You can use your electronic transcript for your PGWP application. You don’t need to use the official hard-copy transcript. However, if you want an official transcript for your records the VCC Registrar’s Office will issue this document. You can request for your official transcript online through your or visit the Records Office page to understand the alternatives for requesting it as well as payment options.  

To receive your VCC official transcript and final awarded credentials by mail, you must ensure your local address is up to date on your  student account portal. Check the tutorial on How to Update your Contact Information Online and ensure you update your address before graduation. 


International students have up to 180 days after obtaining VCC Program Completion Letter to apply for a PGWP. In addition, their study permit must have been valid at some point during the 180 days after they graduated.  

It is highly recommended that international students apply within 90 days of receiving the Program Completion letter or before the study permit expires, whichever comes first, as this may grant until a decision is made on the PGWP application. 


A study permit is typically valid for the duration of your study program, plus an extra 90 days. The either on the expiry date indicated on the permit or 90 days after you receive written confirmation of program completion, whichever occurs first. 

It's crucial not to let your study permit expire while awaiting your final grades and graduation. To cover the period you're waiting for graduation, you must ensure that your study permit remains valid. IRCC typically issues study permits for the duration of the study program, plus an extra 90 days to accommodate for this waiting period. 

Applying for a PGWP without a valid study permit means you cannot start working until your PGWP application is processed and approved by IRCC.  

 

 

Working Before and After you apply for a PGWP

You can only apply for a PGWP once your VCC Program Completion Letter (graduation letter) and your Electronic Transcript becomes available. 

  1. Before you receive your Program Completion Letter, you are still considered a VCC international student. You may be able to  a²Ô»å  as long as you have had work eligibility while studying and you have a valid study permit. 
  2. Once you receive your Program Completion Letter, you must stop working immediately. You are no longer authorized to continue to work in Canada, as you no longer meet the eligibility criteria as a study permit holder under . 
  3. After you receive your Program Completion Letter and submit your PGWP application within 90 days, you may be able to start working full-time if you meet all the :
    • had a valid study permit at the time of the PGWP application submission,
    • had completed your program of study,
    • were eligible to  without a work permit and
    • did not work off-campus for more than 20 hours a week during academic sessions (unless meeting the IRCC criteria of ). 

If you were eligible to work full-time immediately after submitting your PGWP application, you retain the right to work in Canada even if your study permit becomes invalid during the processing of your PGWP application. This right to work is granted under of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations until a decision is made on your PGWP application.  

If your employer requires proof of your work eligibility while you wait for your PGWP to be processed, you may provide a copy of all documents listed on the IRCC website to . The list includes a copy of the  from your PGWP application (if you applied online). 

 

How to Apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit

International students can  from inside or outside Canada. However, international students usually have up to 180 days after graduation to apply for a PGWP. 

VCC International students are encouraged to apply for a PGWP within 90 days of graduation with a valid study permit. After submitting the PGWP application, they may be . 

Please note that as of June 21, 2024, international students  (airport, land or marine border) when entering Canada. 


Once you , the online system will ask “Have you recently graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution for which your study program was full-time and a minimum of eight months?”. Selecting “Yes” to this question signals to the system that you have completed your studies and are seeking to apply for a PGWP. 

After answering all the questions from the online wizard, you will be provided with a personalized document checklist. The checklist will require you to upload the “Completion of Studies Letter” and “Recent Education Transcript”. Please upload your VCC Program Completion Letter (graduation letter) and VCC Electronic Transcript (with confirmation of graduation) accordingly. 

Once your application is approved, you will receive a PDF letter in your IRCC secure account indicating that the original document will be mailed to the address you have provided. If your address has changed, ensure you update your address with IRCC through the . 

Please review the following documents for instructions on how to submit a post-graduation work permit application online from inside Canada: 


You may  from outside Canada: 

  • Online, by creating your , or 
  • By paper, send your application to a  

We encourage you to review  for instructions. 

If you apply on paper,  based on the country you are submitting your PGWP application from. Once you select the country from where you are submitting your application, the system will generate a list of documents and forms you need to submit. Submit your completed application with all required documents and the  to the address given in the application package. 

 

 

 

Important Considerations and Information

Review the following important considerations related to the post-graduation work permit.


International students may be able to leave Canada and return as long as they have a valid  o°ù . It’s important to understand that having a valid status in Canada (such as a study permit status) that on its own doesn’t permit international students to travel back to Canada. If a student visa or eTA is expired, they must get a new one before returning to Canada. 

that, when you return to Canada: 

  • You may enter as a student if your study permit is still valid. 
  • If IRCC approves your post-graduation work permit (PGWP) while you’re away, you may enter as a worker. 
  • If your study permit was valid when you applied and IRCC is still processing your PGWP, you may enter as a visitor and work without a work permit until they make a decision on your application. 

Please note that entry to Canada is at the discretion of a CBSA officer. The CBSA officer will review all your supporting documents and decide whether you can enter Canada. They must be satisfied that you meet the requirements to enter Canada, and that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay. 


Effective May 1, 2022, the will be updated so that individuals who remain in B.C. with maintained status will have access to temporary MSP coverage until a decision is made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on their application for extension. 


Who is eligible 
 
The spouse or common-law partner of an international student, who has graduated from a recognized institution and qualifies for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), could also qualify for an if they meet the AND you (the main applicant): 

  • Are authorized to work in Canada 
  • Are employed or will be employed in a job that falls under category 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) in the when the family member applies 
  • Have a work permit valid for at least six months after the family member's application is received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) 
  • Are living or plan to live in Canada while working 

 

When to apply: 

When you apply for your PGWP, your family member may also submit their application online at the same time, on the condition that they have arrived in Canada and meet the . 

Should they opt to apply for an open work permit after your PGWP application has been filed, they are permitted to do so even if you are awaiting a decision on your PGWP or if you are employed without a work permit while transitioning from a full-time student to a PGWP holder. However, it is important to note when applying after the initial PGWP submission: 

  • The processing of your family member's open work permit application is contingent upon the approval of your PGWP. 
  • If the decision on your PGWP is still pending by the time their application is assessed, there is a risk that the open work permit application may be refused. 

They can also choose to apply after you receive your PGWP. Please note that your family member’s open work permit won’t be valid longer than your PGWP. 

 

Documents to prepare: 

As a PGWP holder, to support your family member’s open work permit application, you may need to provide the following: 

  • Evidence of a genuine relationship with your family member, and 
  • Proof that you can or will be legally authorized to work in Canada. This is not required if you and your family member apply at the same time or if you are a PGWP holder. 
  • Proof that you can work in Canada for at least 6 months after IRCC receives the family member’s work permit application. This is also not required if you and your family member apply at the same time, and 
  • Proof that you are or will be working in an occupation in eligible TEER category of the such as a letter from your employer that either confirms you are employed or offers you a job. This letter must include your employment details, your occupation, a description of your duties, and the specific NOC or TEER category under which your job is classified.  

Although there is no standard minimum of hours required, IRCC officers have to be satisfied that your wages or funds will be sufficient to financially support yourself and your family members while in Canada. 

 
How to apply: 

When submitting your application for an open work permit online along with your family member's application, it's essential to provide accurate responses to specific questions to ensure both applications are processed together. 

Firstly, when asked if you intend to include a family member's application with yours, select "Yes" for the question "Do you want to submit an application for a family member?" 

Secondly, for the question "Why is your family member visiting Canada?" choose the option "Work with an Open Work Permit." 

Correctly answering these questions activates the system to generate the appropriate document checklists for your family member under your application, ensuring streamlined processing of both applications. 
 

IRCC Temporary Policy:  

On December 2, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a set to begin on January 30, 2023. This policy, effective for two years, extends the eligibility for open work permits to include the spouses and working-age children of certain work permit holders under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Specifically, family members of the main applicant who are employed in a job categorized under the category 4 or 5 of TEER (high-wage stream only) in the , can now also apply for an open work permit. “High-wage stream” refers to positions with wages at or above the provincial or territorial median hourly wage.  

 

 

Next Steps

Review your post-graduation work permit to ensure all your information is correct. It is recommended that you make a copy of it and store the original in a safe place.  

Renew your . 

Renew your . 

Apply for a new  to re-enter Canada (if applicable). 

Visit the VCC Career Guidance page to help you prepare your Resume and Cover Letter. 

 

The content on this page reflects the information available at the time of its publication. It is important to acknowledge that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and other government departments regularly revise their policies. For the latest information, please visit  (IRCC) website. 

Latest Updated: December 3, 2024