WORK AFTER GRADUATION
If you complete your studies in an eligible program at a designated learning institution, and want to stay in Canada temporarily while working, you may be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
International graduates can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, which allows them to work for any Canadian employer in any industry for up to three year.
Eligibility Criteria
To get a post-graduation work permit, you must:
- be 18 or older when you apply
- have continuously studied full-time in Canada in a study program at least eight months long
- have a document from your school (transcript, official letter, certificate, etc.) that confirms you completed and passed all your program requirements
- have graduated from a:
- public post-secondary school, such as a college, trade/technical school or university, or CEGEP in Quebec or
- private post-secondary school that operates under the same rules as public schools (currently applies only to certain private post-secondary institutions in Quebec) or
- private secondary or post-secondary school (in Quebec) that offers qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer, leading to a diplôme d’études professionnelles (DEP) or an attestation de spécialisation professionnelle (ASP) or
- Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law (for example, Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate degree) but only if you are enrolled in a study programs leading to a degree as authorized by the province
- apply for a work permit within 90 days of when it was confirmed that you completed your program and
- have a valid study permit when you apply for the work permit.
