Canada work permit is issued to foreign workers after successful completion of the Canadian study program. Work permit facilitates the foreign student to remain in Canada for more years for employment upon the successful completion of his studies.For those who wish to immigrate to Canada but you aren’t sure how many work permits are granted after study, you’re not alone. It’s a common question among foreign students who wish to continue their education in Canada or find employment here once they graduate.
How Many Years Work Permit In Canada After Study
A huge part of the student culture in Canada revolves around the idea of having a working holiday visa or a study permit. It is something sought after by many students at foreign universities but very few achieve the goal. To get a post graduation work permit in Canada is no easy task.Students who want to remain in Canada after their studies sometimes need a post-graduation work permit. A post-graduation work permit is granted for a specific job. It can be renewable, but the renewal period is determined by the length of your study program. It may also be eligible for a spouse or common-law partner and dependent children. After your graduation from a Canadian college or university, you have four options:
In the backdrop of COVID-19 related restrictions and other issues, there have been some changes in the PGWP Canada (Post Graduation Work Permit) eligibility.
Getting a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP Canada) while studying in Canada depends a lot on your course and its duration. A work permit under the PGWP is usually issued for the length of the study program. The maximum length of the PGWP in Canada is of three years. It means that if your post-graduate course’s duration is of two years, you may get a three-year PGWP visa. A post-graduation work permit cannot be valid for longer than the student’s study program. The course duration must be a minimum of eight months to get post graduate work permit in Canada.
The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP Canada) allows international students who completed their higher education in Canada from designated learning institutions (DLIs) to obtain an open work permit, remain, and work in Canada. The post-graduation work permit in Canada allows students to stay there and gain work experience after completing their graduation. However, students must graduate from a recognized Canadian institution. This gives students the opportunity to gain Canadian work experience. Gaining skilled Canadian work experience through PGWP helps graduates qualify for permanent residence in Canada through Canadian experience class within Express Entry.
Graduating from a DLI does not mean that you are automatically eligible to get a PGWP. After getting your final marks, a candidate has 180 days to apply for a PGWP. Also, make sure your study permit does not expire before you get your final marks.
The PGWP allows international students graduating from a participating post-secondary college/university to gain Canadian work experience. In the long run, Canadian work experience gained through PGWP helps international graduates qualify for PR (permanent residence) in Canada through Express Entry.
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Eligibility Criteria for PGWP Canada
If you are inside Canada, you are eligible if:
- Your in-person classes were changed to online mode
- Your program has in-person and online modes, both
- Your studies were put on hold, or you had to study part-time, during the winter, spring or summer 2020 semesters
- Please note that in order to be eligible for PGWP Canada, you must be enrolled in a full-time course as of Fall 2020 semester.
If you are outside Canada, you are eligible if:
- You have to apply for a post graduation work permit (PGWP Canada) within 180 days of completing your program. In your application, you must submit your degree/diploma/transcript/official letter from your college
- You must have been enrolled in a program that was in progress in March 2020, or that was started or will start between spring 2020 and summer 2022
- You must have a study permit
- Your institute must be a designated learning institution (DLI)
- Your program must be of at least 8 months in duration and must lead to a degree/diploma/certificate
- You must have a full-time student status
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Application Details
Following are the details of application details for PGWP Canada:
- A fees of CAD 255 is charged
- If you wish to restore your student-status and PGWP, you will have to pay CAD 605
- The processing time for online applications is 163 days
- The processing time for paper-based applications is 146 days
Duration of Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) Canada
If the official length of your program of study is:
- Less than eight months: you are not eligible for the PGWP program
- Less than two years but more than eight months: you will get a work permit for a period equal to your course duration
- Two years or more: you will be granted a work permit three years
- If you complete more than 1 academic program, then you may get a PGWP whose duration is the combined length of each program. However, both programs must of at least 8 months in duration and you must not have obtained a PGWP on the basis of first program
Changes Introduced by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada
- International students can study online from abroad until April 30, 2021, and no time will be deducted from their post-graduation work permit, however, they need to complete 50% of their program of study in Canada.
- International students who have enrolled in a program with a length 8 to 12 months starting from May to September 2020 can complete their entire program online from abroad and they are still eligible for a post-graduation work permit.
- Students enrolled in a program starting between May to September 2020 and study online up to April 30, 2021, and graduate from more than one program can combine the length of their programs while applying for a post-graduation work permit, provided 50% of their studies must have been completed in Canada.
- In order to be eligible for these newly announced measures, students must have submitted their study permit application before starting a program of study in the spring, summer, or fall 2020 semester, or January 2021 semester.
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