WORK AFTER GRADUATION
Post-graduation work permit
Full-time international students from certain post-secondary institutions in Canada may be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) after graduation. The PGWP is an open work permit that will allow you to work in Canada and gain valuable work experience. If you are interested in applying for Canadian permanent residence, the PGWP provides an opportunity to gain the skilled work experience which may be required for certain PR applications. You don’t need a job offer to apply for a PGWP.
Note that you can only apply for the PGWP once in your lifetime. Please be mindful if you plan to pursue further studies to make an informed decision about when to apply for your PGWP.
A post-graduation work permit can only be issued for a maximum of 3 years, mainly depending on the length of your program. You may be eligible to apply for an extension if your PGWP is issued for a shorter duration due to your passport validity. For more information about how Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) determines the length of PGWP to be issued, visit the IRCC website.
PGWP Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for a PGWP, you must meet all the eligibility criteria as outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
New Requirements as of November 1, 2024
To be eligible to apply for a PGWP, you must meet all the eligibility criteria as outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Starting Nov 1, 2024, all PGWP applications submitted are subject to the following two new requirements:
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How to meet the language proficiency requirement?
- Your language test results must be less than 2 years old at the time of your PGWP application submission.
- Check here for a list of acceptable language tests and equivalency charts to confirm the minimum language level you need to obtain.
- Plan ahead to schedule and take your language test in advance to avoid additional delay with your PGWP application. It may take some time to receive your test results back.
Review the following online resources to learn about how the new requirements may impact your PGWP application:
Gaps in full-time studies?
Continuous full-time enrollment in each academic session (term) throughout your studies at SFU, is one of the requirements you must meet under the PGWP Program, with only a few exceptions listed below:
- Part-time studies in the final term;
- Not enrolled or enrolled part-time in Spring and/or Summer 2020 as a part of temporary COVID-19 measures; or
- An authorized leave up to 150 days
Academic Sessions:
Undergraduate Students:
For SFU undergraduate students, the Spring and Fall terms are considered formal academic sessions (terms) for immigration purposes. As an undergraduate student, your enrollment status in the Summer term will not impact your eligibility for a PGWP.
Graduate Students:
For SFU graduate students, the Spring, Summer and Fall terms are considered formal academic sessions (terms) for immigration purposes. With a few exceptions, you must enroll on a full-time basis in each of these terms in order to remain eligible for a PGWP.
Leave Policy:
Undergraduate Students:
SFU does not have a formal leave of absence process in place for undergraduate students. If you took an academic session (i.e. Spring and/or Fall term) off during your studies at SFU, you must include a letter from SFU confirming SFU's leave policy for undergraduate students in your PGWP application. You can download this letter on the SFU website.
Graduate Students:
As a graduate student, there is a formal leave of absence process should you need to take a term off during your studies at SFU. Review the Graduate Studies’ website for detailed information and the process for applying for a leave of absence from SFU. If your leave is approved by SFU, it is considered an authorized leave.
If you had part-time term(s) or took term(s) off (unless you meet one of the exceptions), it will impact your eligiblity for the post-graduation work permit. In preparation for your PGWP application, you should write a letter of explanation and gather the supporting documents. Note that the final decision on your PGWP application will be made at the discretion of the immigration officer processing your application.
For more information on what supporting documents you can include to strengthen your PGWP application, review our FAQ on "How will my PGWP application be impacted if I had part-time terms or took terms off?"
If you have any additional questions or if one of the following situations applies to you, contact our International Student Advisors, Immigration Specialists to discuss the impacts and how you can strengthen your PGWP application:
- You did not maintain the continuous full-time enrollment requirement throughout your program of studies.
- You plan to take a break from studies during an academic session/term, or you will be away from your studies for multiple terms, or
- You plan to enroll (study) enrolling part time during a regular academic session.
As instructed in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) official website, you must apply for a PGWP within 180 days of receiving written confirmation of your program completion from SFU. Calculation of the 180-day period begins the day the final marks are issued, or the day formal written notification of program completion (the Credential Completion Letter or the Senate letter) is received, whichever comes first.
To align with IRCC’s Program Delivery Instructions, we recommend that you begin counting the 180-day period from the day your final grades are released in your final term of study, as the final grades will be issued prior to your Credential Completion Letter and/or your Senate Letter. Also, the date of your convocation ceremony has no relation to the 180-day application period for your PGWP.
To be eligible to apply for a PGWP within Canada, your study permit must be valid at the time of your application. Note that your study permit will automatically become invalid 90 days after the day you complete your studies, or on the expiry date printed on your study permit, whichever comes first.
If your study permit will expire during your final term and you plan to apply for your PGWP within Canada, please ensure to extend your study permit earlier (e.g. 4-6 months in advance) so that you will have a valid study permit at the time of your PGWP application.
To apply for a PGWP in Canada, in most cases, you will apply online. Review and follow the following online resources to prepare for your PGWP application:
- IRCC webpage: get the right documents;
- SFU PGWP handout and step-by-step instruction guide on the required documentation and tips on completing the application form; and
- SFU Next Steps After Graduation webpage with important information on how to prepare for your PGWP application and next steps after graduation.
If you did not maintain continuous full-time enrollment (e.g. you studied part time or took an academic term off) at SFU, you must include a letter of explanation detailing your unique circumstance(s). Depending on the circumstances, supporting documents may also be submitted as evidence of reason(s) for any gaps in your full-time enrollment. For more information on what supporting documents you can include to strengthen your PGWP application, review our FAQ on "How will my PGWP application be impacted if I had part-time terms or took terms off?"
Work Before Applying For a PGWP
If you are eligible to work off campus in your final term of studies, you may continue to work up to 24 hours per week until you receive your Credential Completion letter via goSFU. However, you must stop working when your Credential Completion Letter is issued.
Work After Applying For a PGWP
If your study permit is still valid when you submit your post-graduation work permit application and you meet the eligibility requirements set by IRCC, you may begin working full time only after submitting your application. If don’t meet the specific requirement (e.g. you are not eligible to work in your final term, you have exceeded the maximum allowable hours of off-campus work and/or if you worked after your completion letter was issued), you are not eligible to work while your PGWP is in process and must wait to start/resuming working until you receive your PGWP.
Review the chart below to check your eligibility to work before and after submitting your PGWP application.
Speak with an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist at least one term before you graduate to discuss your options if you'd like to apply. You may also review the "Post-Graduation Work Permit" handout on our Instruction Guides page for details on eligibility and how to apply.
Other Work Permit Options:
As a foreign national, you must have a valid work permit or proper work authorization to work in Canada. Other than the PGWP, there might be another (open) work permit that will allow you to work after graduation in Canada based on your individual circumstances.