Can You Extend Post Graduate Work Permit In Canada? Employers are desperate in providing jobs to highly skilled workers and the country is facing shortage of labor especially in high demand sectors. Students who have successfully completed their post-graduate programs or degrees are skilled, talented and experienced enough to qualify for a mid-level job market. They can contribute more and grow in their respective fields as trained individuals.

Can We Extend Post Graduate Work Permit In Canada

Post Graduate Work Permit Program (PGWP) allows international students who have graduated from a Canadian University, with a valid offer of full-time employment in Canada, to stay in the country and work for up to 3 years.

A Postgraduate work permit is an official document which is issued to you by the government of Canada. It allows you to seek a job and work in Canada. The government may allow you to work for any employer or it may have its own requirement regarding your employment. If you have the required documents and meet all the requirements, then you shall be granted the Canada Post graduate Work Permit.

Can I renew my post-graduation work permit?

No. Post-graduation work permits (PGWP) are a one-time opportunity for international students. Those students must have graduated from a PGWP-eligible program at a designated learning institution.

If you had to renew your passport

You can extend your PGWP with your new passport only if

• you were eligible for a PGWP but
• you didn’t get the full length because your passport was going to expire

Include this information in a letter of explanation when you apply to extend your PGWP.

If you’re an Express Entry applicant

You may be able to apply for a bridging open work permit if

• you’re waiting for a decision on a permanent residence application under Express Entry
• your current work permit expires in 4 months or less
• you have valid status on your work permit
• you’re currently in Canada

This term, “skilled” currently refers to occupations that Canada categorizes into skill levels 0, A, and B on the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These skill levels will change in 2022 when the new occupation classification system comes into effect. You can check the skill level of your occupation on the government website.

Although there are certainly immigration options for people who work in other occupations, having work experience in a skilled occupation can qualify you for Canada’s most popular immigration pathway, Express Entry.

We are not here to tell you which pathway to Canadian immigration you should take. There is no easy route. However, what we would like to do with this article is spell out all your options to stay beyond your PGWP so you can make an informed decision based on your individual preference.

Apply for immigration

Applying to certain immigration programs will qualify you for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), which allows you to keep working in Canada if your PGWP expires before you get approved for permanent residence.

Express Entry

Many people think of Express Entry as an immigration program, but actually it is an application management system for three federal immigration programs, and some Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). The three Express Entry-managed programs are the:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

To immigrate through Express Entry, you first need to be eligible for one of the three programs. Once you are in the pool of candidates, you get a score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

You can only apply for immigration after you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from Canada’s immigration department, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

In order to get an ITA, you need to have at least the minimum amount of CRS points required in a given Express Entry draw. IRCC holds these draws roughly every two weeks, where they invite the top scoring candidates to apply for Canadian immigration.

Provincial Nominee Program

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are managed by most Canadian provinces and territories, with the exceptions of Nunavut and Quebec.

There are two broad categories of PNPs. Enhanced PNPs search the Express Entry pool to invite candidates to apply for a provincial nomination. With a provincial nomination, Express Entry candidates get an automatic 600 points toward their overall score. This award pushes them to the top of the pool of Express Entry candidates, and primes them to receive an ITA in a subsequent draw.

People who do not qualify for Express Entry, may be able to immigrate to Canada through a base PNP. These programs allow you to apply for a provincial nomination directly to the province, which then supports your application for permanent residence to the federal government. Some of these base PNPs are also available to people whose work experience does not fall under a “skilled” occupation category.

PNPs do not necessarily require you to have any experience in the province, nor a job offer — although those things generally help. Choosing a PNP is one part determining what you qualify for, and another part deciding which province you really want to settle in.

Quebec immigration

Quebec has its own immigration system. In order to immigrate to Quebec you need a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ), which supports your immigration application to the federal government. Even though Quebec is the most independent province in terms of immigration, only the federal government can issue permanent residency status.