Canada has approved three three-year post-graduation work permits (PGWP) for international students studying in master’s programs that are less than two years long.
In the past, the length of a post-graduation work permit was determined by the length of the study program.
However, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has chosen to broaden the requirements for master’s degree holders to get extended work permits in recognition of these students’ potential for success in the Canadian labor market.
What are the PGWP eligibility criteria?
To be eligible for a PGWP, international students must:
- Have completed studies in an academic, vocational, or professional training program that is at least eight months long, at an eligible DLI;
- Have studied in a program that led to a degree, diploma, or certificate;
- Held full-time student status in Canada during every academic session of the program or programs of study completed, which should be indicated on the PGWP application (with certain exceptions allowed);
- Have received a transcript and an official letter from an eligible DLI confirming that the applicant has met the requirements to complete their program of study (both of which must be included in the PGWP application);
- Have graduated from a public post-secondary institution such as a:
- College;
- Trade or technical school;
- University;
- CEGEP (in Quebec);
- Private post-secondary school (in Quebec) that operates under the same rules as public schools in Quebec;
- Private secondary or post-secondary school (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer and results in the issuance of a diplôme d’études professionnelles (DEP) or an attestation de spécialisation professionnelle (ASP); or
- Canadian private schools can award degrees under provincial law (for example, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate) but only if the student was enrolled in a study program that leads to a degree as authorized by the province.
Any of these educational institutions must be a DLI.
More Details about the Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP)
- PGWPs issued to students enrolled in programs other than master’s level will still align with the program’s duration, capped at three years.
- Students in programs at PGWP-eligible designated learning institutions (DLIs), which are at least two years long, qualify for an extended three-year PGWP.
- IRCC will also revise regulations regarding spousal work permits for international students at the undergraduate level.
- Only spouses of students at the master’s and doctoral levels will be eligible for a spousal work permit.
- The adjustment will not affect spousal open work permits for the spouses or conjugal partners of Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
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