Requirements
- School and program: a program of at least 8 months (900 hours for Quebec programs) at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI).
- Full-time: full-time student status in Canada in every semester of the program.
- Deadline: apply within 180 days of your school confirming you completed the program; your study permit must have been valid at some point in those 180 days.
- Language: applications submitted from 2024-11-01 need test results; see below.
- Field of study: graduates of non-degree programs may need an eligible field; see below.
Language requirement
| Program | Minimum level (all four skills) |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree | CLB 7 or NCLC 7 |
| Other university programs | CLB 7 or NCLC 7 |
| College, polytechnic and other non-university programs | CLB 5 or NCLC 5 |
Approved tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada, TCF Canada. Results must be less than 2 years old when you apply. PGWP applications submitted before 2024-11-01 do not need to meet the language requirement.
Convert your results to CLB levels with the CLB calculator.
Field of study
Graduates with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree have no field of study requirement. Other graduates need a field of study (by CIP code) on IRCC's list of eligible fields, which are linked to occupations in long-term shortage in Canada. The field must be on the list when you submit either your study permit application or your PGWP application.
- No field of study requirement if you applied for your study permit before 2024-11-01.
- No field of study requirement if you submitted your PGWP application before 2024-11-01.
- No field of study requirement for graduates of a PGWP-eligible flight school.
IRCC says it will not add or remove eligible fields of study in 2026. The list: IRCC: Field of study requirement.
How long the permit is valid
- Programs of 8 months to less than 2 years: up to the length of the program.
- Programs of 2 years or more: 3 years.
- Master's degrees: 3 years, even if the program was less than 2 years.
- The permit is not issued beyond your passport's expiry; if the passport expires first, you can apply to extend later.
You cannot get a PGWP if you already had one after an earlier program.
Fees and applying
| Item | Government fee |
|---|---|
| Work permit | C$155 |
| Open work permit holder fee | C$100 |
| Biometrics, individual | C$85 |
You can apply from inside or outside Canada; in most cases you must apply online. If your study permit expires before you apply, you have up to 90 days after it expires to apply for a PGWP and restore your status.
Working while you wait
You can work full time while IRCC processes your application if you:
- had a valid study permit when you submitted your application;
- completed your study program;
- were eligible to work off campus without a work permit while studying and did not work more hours than allowed.
Details are on the work permit page.