The length of a PGWP is based on the length of any eligible program(s) you complete. The maximum length is 3 years.

If you complete more than one eligible program, you may be eligible for a longer PGWP. See more in What if I complete two eligible programs?

The only time a PGWP can be extended is if the full validity could not be issued due to a passport expiry. If you are eligible to extend your PGWP, IRCC will normally put this information on your work permit and give you information on how to apply for the extension on paper. We recommend you renew your passport in advance to avoid having to extend if possible.

PGWP is once in a lifetime. If you are completing more than one program, you can apply after completing any eligible program. You may want to wait to apply for PGWP until after you have completed all your studies in Canada to take full advantage of your PGWP.

Important Considerations

•  Check your study permit expiry and extend, if required, before it expires.
• If you are changing institutions, you must notify IRCC either in an extension application or by updating your DLI online.

Program Stacking

You can “program stack” to become eligible for a longer PGWP. For example, if you take two one-year programs, you may be eligible for up to 3 years PGWP. You must begin the second program within 2 years of completing the first program to program stack.

New Program Start Date

If you start your second program within 150 days of completing your first program, you may be eligible to work full-time between programs. See Working off Campus for details.

If you will not start your second program within 150 days and wish to stay in Canada, please connect with an international student advisor.

To be eligible for a PGWP, you must have:

• Completed a program of study that is at least 8 months long and leads to a degree, certificate or diploma at an eligible DLI. Brock is an eligible DLI.
• Certificate and diploma programs must meet the field of study requirements. Brock degree programs are not subject to this requirement.
• Maintained full-time student status throughout your program in every regular academic term (exception for final term or an authorized leave of max. 150 days).
• Completed at least 50% of your program in-person from inside Canada (exceptions during COVID-19).
• Had a valid study permit at some point during the maximum 180-day application period after program completion.
• Meet the minimum language requirements.

You cannot apply for PGWP until you have graduated and received your PGWP documents. This is typically 3-4 weeks after your final grades are released. There is a strict timeline in which you must apply for PGWP. The time starts when you have completed your program.

For IRCC purposes, you are determined to have completed your program at the first of (a) final grades being released or (b) any written notification of completion. Your Convocation (graduation ceremony) date is not relevant to this.

• All applications must be submitted within 180 days of program completion.
• If you are applying from inside Canada, you must also maintain valid status in Canada. Your study permit will become invalid 90 days after program completion unless either it expires first or you are returning to studies.

If you are applying from inside Canada and you have lost status, please connect with an international student advisor for advice.

All applications should be made online. You can apply from either inside or outside Canada.

Paper applications are only possible if you have a disability or technical issue preventing you from applying online. It is not possible to apply at the border.

The main documents you need are a transcript with all your grades and a completion letter. Typically, they cannot be issued until 3-4 weeks after your program completion. These are not automatically issued and must be requested.

• Transcript: Order through your Brock student portal. Make sure to “hold” until the grades are released.
• Completion letter: Request a PGWP graduation letter in your Brock student portal.

We also recommend all students include a letter of explanation (written by you) with your application.

Questions about requesting documents?

Undergraduate students can connect with Brock Central for support. Graduate students can connect with Graduate Studies.

Yes. We recommend all students include a letter of explanation with all applications to IRCC. The letter should be written by you, provide your personal and program information and outline your eligibility for PGWP. You can also use this letter to contextualize your documents and explain anything you want IRCC to know.

While you can still apply if you have not maintained full-time student status, any decision on your application would be at IRCC’s discretion on a case-by-case basis.

Any time your transcript doesn’t clearly show you were full-time throughout your program, you should explain the circumstances and provide supporting documentation with your application. You may also need to explain if the end of your transcript and your completion date don’t match.

Common examples (not an exhaustive list):

Please connect with an international student advisor for additional advice on the PGWP application if you will need to contextualize your transcript.

You must stop working when you receive first notice of program completion (final grades are released or any other written notification of program completion). At that point, you are no longer considered a full-time student and thus not authorized to work under the conditions of your study permit. Your co-op work permit, if you have one, will also be invalid.

You may be eligible to start working again once you have submitted your PGWP application. See IRCC’s PGWP: After you apply for full details on eligibility. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, you must wait until you have a physical copy of the work permit to start working again.

See IRCC’s PGWP: After you apply for full details on eligibility to work while waiting for a PGWP decision.

If you are eligible to work while waiting for a decision on your PGWP, the documents that will confirm this are your study permit, your confirmation of submission of the PGWP and your PGWP graduation letter.

If you applied from inside Canada, you may receive a WP-EXT letter after submitting your PGWP application. This letter is a courtesy and will have a validity based on the processing time standards and may help your employer understand your eligibility to work. If your letter expires before you receive a decision on your PGWP application, it does not impact your eligibility to work. You can request a new letter via an IRCC webform if you wish.

PGWP applications can be made from inside or outside Canada. To be able to travel, you must normally have both a travel document and a status document. There are times that travel is not recommended as below.

Applying from inside Canada?

We do not recommend you travel between completing your program and submitting your PGWP. You may be eligible to travel after submitting your PGWP application. See IRCC’s PGWP: After you apply. Once you have received the physical work permit, you can apply to renew your visa if you need a new one.

Applying from outside Canada?

You should wait until you receive an approval before returning to Canada. You need to present your POE letter at a Canadian border to have your work permit issued. If you require a new visa/eTA, you will be issued one (no separate application required).

If your SIN expires while you are waiting for a decision on PGWP, you can continue to use it as long as you have authorization to work. Once you have received the physical work permit, you can apply to renew your SIN.

You must have a valid study permit to study in Canada. If your study permit is expiring before you will complete your program, you must extend it. You can also extend if your study permit expires less than 90 days after program completion.

Important Considerations

• Don’t let your status expire if you are applying from inside Canada.
• We recommend study permit extensions be submitted 3-4 months before expiry.
• IRCC can issue an extra 90 days after program completion to give you time to transition from student to whatever you will do next (including applying for PGWP). It typically takes 3-4 weeks after program completion before you would be able to submit a PGWP application.
• While you can apply for PGWP while on maintained status, you cannot work while waiting for a PGWP decision in this case.

Yes, however the PGWP is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you are using the PGWP to gain work experience for permanent residency, it is important to know that any work experience you gain while you are a full-time student may not count towards some PR programs.

If your dependants are in Canada with you, their permits likely expire at the same time as yours. Unlike study permits which become invalid 90 days after program completion, work permits and visitor records are valid until their expiry. It is important that your dependants also maintain their status while they are in Canada. If eligible, they can extend their current status. If not, they may need to change to visitor status.

Note: If your spouse has an open work permit based on your study permit, they would not be eligible to extend their work permit until you have a PGWP approval and a qualifying job. See IRCC open work permit for family members of foreign workers.

See additional information on inviting family to Canada.