Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility

Licensed RCIC guidance for international graduates applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) in Canada.

Written and reviewed by Usman Khalil, RCIC (R709592), a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Last reviewed: June 2026.

The Post-Graduation Work Permit lets eligible graduates of Canadian Designated Learning Institutions work in Canada. The rules changed in 2024 and 2025, and this page explains who qualifies now, the language and field-of-study requirements, application timing, status and restoration, refusals, and the path to permanent residence.

1. What the PGWP Is

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit for eligible graduates of Canadian Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs). It lets you work for almost any employer in Canada. You can only ever receive one PGWP in your lifetime, and the length of the permit is tied to the length of your study program. Because it is an open work permit, the time you work on a PGWP can help you qualify for permanent residence later.

2. Who Can Apply (at a Glance)

You generally need to have completed an eligible program of at least eight months at a PGWP-eligible DLI, have maintained full-time student status, and apply within the required window. Most applicants must also meet a language requirement, and graduates of certain programs must have studied in an eligible field.

3. The Field-of-Study Requirement (2024)

Whether this rule applies to you depends on your program and when you submitted your study permit application:

• Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral graduates have no field-of-study requirement.
• Graduates from any other university program may need to meet the field-of-study requirement if they submitted their study permit application on or after November 1, 2024.
• Graduates from college, polytechnic, and other non-university programs may need to meet the field-of-study requirement if they submitted their study permit application on or after November 1, 2024.
• Flight school graduates are exempt from the language and field-of-study requirements.

IRCC has frozen the eligible field-of-study list for 2026, but you should still check the current CIP-code list before you apply.

4. The Language Requirement (2024)

If you submit your PGWP application on or after November 1, 2024, you must prove language ability in all four abilities: university graduates need CLB 7, and college, polytechnic, and other non-university graduates need CLB 5. Flight school graduates have no language requirement. Your language test results must be valid when you apply.

5. Full-Time Study and Completion

Your program must be at least eight months long at a PGWP-eligible DLI (or 900 hours for certain Quebec programs). You must have maintained full-time student status in each academic session, with part-time study allowed only in your final session. You apply after you receive confirmation that you completed your program.

6. Application Timing: the 180-Day Window

You must apply for the PGWP within 180 days of the date you receive confirmation that you completed your program. Your study permit must have been valid at some point during that window. Missing this window is one of the most common reasons people lose PGWP eligibility.

7. If Your Status Will Expire Before You Apply

If your study permit will expire before your school issues your final marks or completion letter, you generally have two options: apply to stay in Canada as a visitor (a visitor record) so you can submit the PGWP from inside Canada, or leave Canada and apply from abroad.

8. PGWP and Restoration of Status

If your study permit expired and you are still in Canada, timing is critical. In many cases, you have up to 90 days after your study permit expires to submit the PGWP application and request restoration of status as a student. You must pay the PGWP fee and restoration fee and include proof of the restoration fee payment with the PGWP application. Restoration is not automatic, and you cannot work unless you have proper authorization.

9. Common PGWP Refusal Reasons

The refusals we see most often come from applying outside the 180-day window, not meeting the new language or field-of-study requirements, gaps in full-time status during the program, an expired study permit without proper restoration, or incomplete proof of program completion.

10. PGWP to Permanent Residence

A PGWP is temporary, but the Canadian work experience you gain on it can help you qualify for permanent residence, most commonly through Express Entry (the Canadian Experience Class generally requires one year of skilled Canadian work experience) or a Provincial Nominee Program. See our Express Entry page.

11. How MAK Helps

MAK works with licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs). We confirm whether you meet the current PGWP rules, check your field of study and language results against the requirements, manage the timing and your status, and prepare your application to reduce refusal risk.

12. Official IRCC Links

• IRCC: PGWP who can apply
• IRCC: Work after you graduate
• IRCC: Field-of-study requirement

Frequently Asked Questions

Important note: This page provides general information only. It is not case-specific immigration advice. PGWP eligibility, language and field-of-study requirements, application timing, status and restoration rules, and fees can change without notice. Always confirm current requirements with IRCC before applying. For case-specific advice, book a paid consultation with a licensed RCIC.

Reviewed by Usman Khalil, RCIC (R709592), Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and CICC member. Last reviewed: June 2026. Official sources checked: June 2026.