Getting to work in Canada is something every student in the developing world dream about. This is because gaining work experience in Canada will not only provide you with an appealing boost to your resume, but it will also bring you one step closer to getting a permanent resident green card in the country. Post graduate work permit - Canada appeals to many developing countries like India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, etc. This is because Canada respects and values cultural diversity. Canada provides equal opportunity to all members of the community without any discrimination. This article will give an overall look at the work life, PGWP eligibility, application process, and much more. Continue reading.

What is PGWP in Canada?

PGWP is the abbreviation for Post Graduate Work Permit, a Canadian program for students who want to work in Canada after graduation. With PGWP, graduates are eligible to stay and work for a predefined period of time in Canada. They can thus gain valuable work experience from one of the elite countries in the world. The only condition for PGWP is that the student should have done their college/university studies from a “Participating Canadian Post-Secondary Institution.” Also, the work experience obtained by the PGWP can help you support your permanent resident application in Canada. 

Some of the Participating Canadian Post-secondary Institutions.

Find out more Participating Canadian Post-Secondary Institution

Work-Life in Canada facts

• Whether it is hospitality industry or IT, Canada provides higher salaries to the workers due to the working conditions.
• Unlike other countries with costly healthcare systems or low-quality free healthcare, Canada has a government-funded healthcare system.
• Canada has a very affordable cost of living when compared to other developed countries. Gas, food, and even cars are cheaper in Canada (compared to other developed countries).
• Canada is a country that welcomes diversity more than any other country. People have immigrated to Canada from various different diverse backgrounds. Therefore, companies and organisations also represent the mixed Canadian population.
• Canada is an arbiter of job security for its residents. Policies such as Employment Insurance (EI) helps its resident with temporary income if they lose their job.

PGWP Canada Eligibility - If you are inside Canada

• Studied bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in Canada.
• The course studied should not be general interest or self-improvement.
• The course should have been completed from a Participating Canadian Post-Secondary Institution.
• You have a study permit that is expired not more than 180 days.
• You haven’t already received PGWP.
• Should have studied English or French as the first language.
• Should not have completed the major portion of the course by means of distance educational features such as online courses, correspondence, or e-learning.
• The course should not have been the product of the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchanges Program, Organization of American States Fellowships Program, Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Global Affairs Canada, and Government of Canada Awards Program.
• However, you are still eligible for PGWP if you went through the study in Canada scholarship program.

PGWP Canada Eligibility - If you are outside Canada

• You must have enrolled in the course that was in process during March 2020.
• Or the course started somewhere between spring of 2020 and summer of 2022.
• The course should have been completed from a Participating Canadian Post-Secondary Institution.
• You must have maintained full-time status as a student during each semester of the course in question.
• Should not have completed the major portion of the course by means of distance educational features such as online courses, correspondence, or e-learning.
• Should have studied English or French as the first language.
• The course should not have been the product of the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchanges Program, Organization of American States Fellowships Program, Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Global Affairs Canada, and Government of Canada Awards Program.
• However, you still are eligible for PGWP in case you went through the study in the Canada scholarship program.

How to apply for Post Graduate Work Permit - Canada?

Step 1: Apply Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) within 180 days after the expiration date of your study permit in the online application portal. If your study permit expires before marks, you have two options. Option one is to apply for a visitor record and extend your stay till you get your marks. Option two is to leave Canada and apply for PGWP from the outside.

Step 2: If for some reason, you couldn’t change your status to the visitor and your study permit expires, you have only 90 days to apply for PGWP instead of 180 days

Step 3: While applying for PGWP, you will need to confirm the course you have completed and the length of the program. This can be confirmed by submitting your degree or diploma certificate/ your transcript / an official letter from your Canadian educational institution.

Step 4: If the study permit expires and you can’t change the status to the visitor, you will need to pay the correct fees of CDN$325.54 and CDN$446.82 as the restoration fee for restoring your status as a student. Do this while applying for PGWP.

Step 5: You will also need to pay CDN$155 as the fee for PGWP and also CDN$100 as the fee for Open Work Permit Holder. 

Step 6: The next step is to wait for your application to get cleared. The processing time for the online application is 163 days, and the processing time for a paper-based application is 146 days.

Duration of stay in Canada With PGWP

Latest updates on Post Graduate Work Permit

• Internation students who are admitted to Participating Canadian Post-secondary Institutions can study their courses online until April 30, 2021. There will be no deduction in the PGWP. However, the student must complete a minimum of 50% of the course in Canada.
• Also, students who are admitted for a course having the length of eight to twelve months starting from September 2020 can complete the entire course online without any effect on their PGWP.

Want to know more?

So what are you waiting for? If you are a graduate from Participating Canadian Post-Secondary Institution, apply for Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) now. However, if you are a student looking to find a university or course in Canada to make your first step get all your queries answered now.