How to Apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit in Canada

What is a post-graduation work permit?

If you’re an international student in Canada you’ll want to start planning for your post-graduation work permit if you want to stay and work in Canada after your studies and study permit come to an end.

A post-graduation work permit is an open work permit for individuals who have graduated from a Canadian school and want to work in Canada. An open work permit allows you to work for any company in Canada in a full time, part time or self-employed capacity.

To learn more about the process, eligibility and other requirements, read below!

Who can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit?

There are some very specific requirements to meet in order to apply for a post-graduation work permit. You must have:

• Completed a Canadian academic, vocational or professional training program at an eligible institution of 8 months or longer, resulting in a degree, diploma or certificate
• Maintained full-time student status in Canada during each academic session of the program (other than your final academic session or a qualified leave from school)
• Received a transcript and an official letter from your school proving you’ve completed your program of study
• Applied within 180 days of receiving written confirmation (such as an official letter or transcript) from the educational institution showing either (and whichever comes first):
  • your final marks are issued,
  • formal written notification of program completion is received

Who is ineligible for a post-graduation work permit?

If you fall under any of the below, you are likely ineligible for a post-graduation work permit:

• have previously been issued a post-graduation work permit
• received funding from Global Affairs Canada
• participated in the Government of Canada Awards Program funded by GAC
• obtained the Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada–Chile
• participated in the Canada–China Scholars’ Exchange Program
• participated in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program
• completed the majority of your credits by distance learning
• completed a program of study delivered by a non-Canadian institution located in Canada
• completed an English as a second language or French as a second language course/program
• completed general interest or self-improvement courses

What is an eligible institution?

In order for your studies in Canada to be legitimate, your program must have been earned at an eligible institution. These are called Designated Learning Institutions (DLI’s), which include:

• a public post-secondary institution (college, trade/technical school, university)
• a degree program at a private institution authorized by a province to award degrees (eg. associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree)

The best way to confirm whether a school is a DLI is to check the government website here.

Can I work while my post-graduation work permit is being processed?

If you submit your post-graduation work permit application before your study permit expires, you can work full-time in Canada until a decision is made on your application if:

• you still have or had a valid study permit at the time you submitted your application
• you have completed your program of study.
• you were eligible to work off-campus on your study permit and you didn’t work more hours than you were allowed to

How long does a post-grad work permit last?

The length of your post-graduation work permit depends mostly on the length of the program you studied in, up to a maximum of three years. More specifically:

Your program was between 8 and 24 months: your work permit will be for the length of the program.

Your program was 2 years or longer: your work permit will be for 3 years.

You completed 2 or more programs of 8 months or longer within 2 years: your work permit will be for the combined length of the programs. If they combine to equal 24 months or longer, the work permit will be for 3 years.

Regular breaks, such as Christmas/summer break, are generally included in the work permit length.

Keep in mind that work permits are never valid beyond the validity of your passport. This means if you are eligible for a 3 year post-graduation work permit but your passport expires in 2 years, it will only be granted for 2 years and you will have to apply for an extension when you receive your new passport.

What is the post-graduation work permit fee?:

You will incur government filing fees when submitting your application. They include:

Work permit fee: $155 CAD

Open work permit fee: $100 CAD

Biometrics fee (if applicable): $85 per person, or $170 if including family

Post-graduation work permit processing times

While processing times can vary, the average time as at August 2020 are:

By online application: 183 days

By paper application: 183 days

Learn more and apply!

If you think you meet the above criteria, you can create an online account and prepare your application online at the Immigration Canada website here.

To learn more about applying from within or outside of Canada, travelling during the processing of your application, biometrics and more, sign up to the free Visto Portal here to access the full guide and apply!