A post-graduation work permit allows students who have graduated from most Canadian post-secondary institutions to stay and work in Canada upon graduation. This permit is strongly recommended to anyone who is about to graduate from a Canadian post-secondary institution and is considering remaining in Canada.
Requirements
The permits are open work permits. There is no requirement for a job offer prior to applying, nor is there a restriction on the type of work that can be performed. Generally, if a student completed a program of study that was two or more years, the students could apply for a three-year work permit. If the program of study was between eight months and two years, then the student would be eligible for a work permit lasting for a period equal to the duration of studies.
The application for the PGWP must be submitted within 90 days of formal written notification that the student has met the requirements for graduation.
The British Columbia Pilot Project
Effective January 31, 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has launched the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program Pilot Project in British Columbia. Under the two-year pilot program, the PGWPP has been expanded to include international students graduating from select British Columbia Education Quality Assurance designated private post-secondary institutions in programs of eight months or longer.
Students who have completed a program of study that is at least eight months or more and received a degree, diploma, or certificate in a career training program from the following institutions are eligible to apply:
- Alexander College
- Columbia College
- Fairleigh Dickinson University Vancouver
- Quest University Canada
- Sprott-Shaw Degree College
- Trinity Western University
- University Canada West
- Arbutus College of Communication Arts;
- Business and Technology
- Ashton College
- Canadian Tourism College
- Centre for Arts and Technology
- Eton College
- Greystone College
- John Casablancas Institute of Applied Arts
- Mountain Transport Institute Ltd
- MTI Community College
- Omni College
- Pacific Audio Visual Institute
- Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
- Pacific Rim Early Childhood Institute
- Sprott-Shaw Community College
- Stenberg College
- Universal Learning Institute
- Vancouver Central College
- Vancouver Film School
- Vancouver Institute of Media Arts
Our Service
Our office has extensive experience dealing with post-graduation work permits, including cases involving individuals who completed multiple programs. We can assist you throughout the process, and combine your post-graduation work permit application with an application for permanent residency.
