Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): 2026 Guide

The PGWP lets graduates of eligible Canadian programs gain Canadian work experience. It is an open work permit, so you can work for almost any employer, in any job and anywhere in Canada, and you do not need a job offer. Many graduates later use this experience to apply for permanent residence.

The legal basis is subparagraph 205(c)(ii) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), work designated by the Minister for reasons of public policy related to the competitiveness of Canada's academic institutions or economy. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses administrative code C43. No Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is needed.

To apply after confirmation you completed your program

180 days

Language minimum: degrees and university programs / other college programs

CLB 7 / 5

Longest PGWP IRCC issues

3 years

PGWP per person, for life

1

1. February 15, 2024

   3-year PGWP for shorter master's degrees

   For applications received from this date, a master's degree of at least 8 months can lead to a 3-year permit.

2. May 15, 2024

   Curriculum licensing programs closed to new students

   Students starting these programs on or after this date are not eligible.

3. June 21, 2024

   No more PGWP applications at the border

4. September 1, 2024

   At least 50% of the program in class in Canada

   For students whose lock-in date is on or after this date.

5. November 1, 2024

   Language tests and field of study rules start

6. March 11, 2025

   CLB 7 for all degree graduates

   For PGWP applications from this date, non-university graduates of bachelor's, master's or doctoral programs need the university level.

7. 2026

   Field of study list frozen

   IRCC says it will not add or remove eligible fields in 2026.

You must meet the general requirements, then the language and field of study rules for your type of program. The language rule depends on when you apply for the PGWP; the field of study rule depends on when you applied for your study permit.

• Eligible school and programA PGWP-eligible program at a PGWP-eligible DLI, at least 8 months long (900 hours for Quebec programs), leading to a degree, diploma or certificate
• Full-time studiesFull-time in each academic session. Part-time is allowed in your final session, and authorized leaves of up to 150 days and school strikes do not count against you.
• Mostly in CanadaNo more than 50% of your program by distance learning. If your lock-in date is on or after September 1, 2024, at least 50% must be in class in Canada.
• Written confirmation of completionA letter of completion or transcript from your DLI
• Authorization to studyYour study permit was valid at some point during the 180 days after you completed your program.
• Language resultsFor PGWP applications from November 1, 2024: the CLB or NCLC level for your program in all four abilities
• Field of studyOnly if your program is not a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree and you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024
• First PGWPYou have never held a PGWP before.

Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) measure English and Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) measure French. You need the level in reading, writing, listening and speaking. IRCC accepts CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada, and the results must be less than 2 years old when you apply. Since March 11, 2025, a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree from a non-university institution, such as a college, needs CLB 7 like a university degree.

Field of study: IRCC uses 6-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes from CIP Canada 2021. Eligible codes are linked to jobs in long-term shortage, in six groups: agriculture and agri-food, education, healthcare and social services, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), trades, and transport. Your program qualifies if its code was on the list when you applied for your study permit or when you apply for the PGWP. Your DLI should show the CIP code on your letter of completion.

Other groups who are not eligible: programs delivered by a non-Canadian institution located in Canada, courses at a DLI that is not PGWP-eligible, and applicants who completed more than 50% of their program through distance learning, subject to the COVID-19 measures that ended on August 31, 2024.

IRCC issues a PGWP for at least 8 months and at most 3 years. The length depends on your program, not on how fast you finished it, and it can never go past your passport's expiry date.

If you finished a program early in an accelerated format, IRCC uses the normal program length. If you studied for less time without accelerating, IRCC may base the permit on the time you actually studied. Regular winter and summer breaks count toward the length. Time spent studying online from outside Canada after August 31, 2024, does not count.

1. 1

   Check your program before your last term

   Confirm your school and program are PGWP-eligible on the DLI list and find your CIP code if the field of study rule applies to you.

2. 2

   Take an approved language test

   Book CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada or TCF Canada in time. Results must be less than 2 years old on the day you apply.

3. 3

   Get written proof of completion

   The 180 days start on the earliest of the day your final marks were issued, the day you got formal written notice that you completed the program, or the day your credential was issued.

4. 4

   Keep your status

   Apply while your study permit is still valid if you can. If it will expire before your marks arrive, apply for a visitor record or leave Canada and apply from outside.

5. 5

   Apply online

   Upload your completion letter, transcript and language results. If you need proof of an eligible field of study, upload it in the Client information section, because the checklist will not ask for it. Pay both fees. You cannot apply at a port of entry.

6. 6

   Give biometrics and wait

   Give biometrics within 30 days of IRCC's letter if asked. IRCC contacts you through your account if it needs more information, then makes a decision.

Working while you wait: you can work full time until IRCC decides if your study permit was valid when you applied, you completed your program, and you were allowed to work off campus while studying without going over your permitted hours (IRPR paragraph 186(w)). Travelling outside Canada after applying does not end this. If IRCC refuses your application, you must stop working the day you are told.

If your study permit expires before you apply: you have 90 days to apply for the PGWP and restore your status as a student at the same time, paying both fees, but you cannot work until the PGWP is approved. Another option is to apply from outside Canada. Applicants who stay in Canada as visitors and apply under the outside-Canada rules cannot work while they wait.

You also pay third parties directly for language tests and any medical exam. The live IRCC processing times below show current waits for work permits applied for inside and outside Canada.

Most refusals come from missing documents. Make sure your letter of completion shows the program length, full-time status and, where needed, the CIP code. Upload your language results even though the checklist lists them as optional.

• Check the expiry date and any conditions on your permit. If you did not have a medical exam, you may be barred from jobs such as health care and child care until you have one and apply on paper to change the conditions.
• If you need a visitor visa to re-enter Canada and applied from inside Canada, IRCC does not issue a new one with the PGWP. Apply for it separately before you travel.
• Your spouse or common-law partner may qualify for an open work permit if your job is in TEER 0 or 1, or in a select TEER 2 or 3 occupation, with at least 16 months left on your PGWP.
• Skilled Canadian work experience on your PGWP can count toward the Canadian Experience Class and many provincial nominee streams.
• Plan ahead. You cannot get a second PGWP, so before it expires you need permanent residence, a bridging open work permit or another work permit.