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Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program provides graduating students with the opportunity to pursue Canadian work experience upon completion of an eligible program at a Canadian designated learning institution.

Most international students who graduate from the University of Toronto are eligible to apply for a PGWP with a validity period of up to 3 years – the length of the PGWP given depends on the length of the student’s program of study. If you meet the eligibility requirements, and the length your program is considered by the University to be:

  • From 8 months to 2 years of study, you should expect one month of work for every month of the program.
    • Exception: As of February 15, 2024, master’s students (who meet the eligibility criteria for a PGWP) can expect a 3 year work permit regardless of the length of their program.
  • Over 2 years, you should expect a 3-year work permit.

Please see the IRCC website for more information on determining length of a PGWP.

Distance Learning extension: Until September 1, 2024

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced on December 7 a change to how they look at distance learning when considering PGWP eligibility.

Students who need to participate remotely (on-line) will be able to count those studies towards their PGWP if it represents less than 50% of the program of study and they begin their program prior to September 1, 2024. Online study programs that start on or after that date, or that are 50% or more online will not qualify for PGWP eligibility.

Overview of the PGWP

Watch our guide on Overview of the Post Graduation Work Permit (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

Am I eligible for a PGWP?

To be eligible, you must:

  • have completed the requirements of a degree, diploma, or certificate which was at least eight months long
  • have maintained full-time status as a student in Canada during each semester of your program of study.
    • Exceptions:
      • enrollment during scheduled breaks is not considered (Note: not all programs have scheduled breaks in the summer, please check with your program to confirm;
      • if you were not a full-time student during the last semester of your studies; or,
      • if you took an authorized leave of less than 150 days.
  • apply within 180 days from the date your registrar’s office issues your final marks or confirmation of degree completion
  • provide proof of completion of your program (i.e. a completion of degree requirements letter from your registrar’s office and official transcript)
  • have not previously been issued a work permit through the Post-Graduation Work Permit program

You are not eligible to apply for a PGWP if you:

  • completed a program that is considered by the university to be than 8 months long
  • have previously been issued a Post-Graduation Work Permit
  • studied English or French as an additional language
  • took general interest or self-improvement courses
  • received funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), except if it was for the Study in Canada scholarship
  • took part in the Government of Canada Awards Program funded by GAC
  • obtained the Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada–Chile
  • took part in the Canada–China Scholars’ Exchange Program
  • took part in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program
  • completed the majority of your courses by distance learning. (Note: There are exceptions made for studies completed outside Canada until September 1, 2024. Consult this IRCC page for more details)
  • completed a study program at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada
  • completed your studies without a study permit based on the temporary policy for eligible work permit holders

Visit the IRCC website for detailed information about the eligibility criteria for the PGWP.

Eligibility Requirements

Watch our guide on Eligibility Requirements for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

PGWP Eligibility Tool

You must have proof of degree completion to apply for the PGWP.

Check with your registrar’s office (or department for graduate students) to determine the earliest date when they can confirm you have completed the requirements of the degree.

Deadlines and Working

Watch our guide on Deadlines and Working During the Transition Period: PGWP Application Inside Canada (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

TIP

The earliest you can get confirmation of degree completion is when final marks are released in your final term of study (for undergraduate and some graduate students). Thesis-based graduate programs will usually require you to submit your revised thesis. In all cases, the date will be before your convocation ceremony.

IMPORTANT

From the earliest date you can get confirmation of degree completion, you have a maximum of 180 days to apply. If you do not, you will lose your eligibility for the PGWP until you complete another qualifying program.

If you are applying from within Canada, you should apply no more than 90 days after the earliest date you can get confirmation of degree completion and before the expiry date printed on your study permit.

Required Documents

Watch our guide on Required Documents, Fees and Processing Time for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

  • Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker (IMM5710)
    • Look for the title at the top of the application, or the code at the bottom-left corner of each page. 
  • Proof of degree completion
    • Eligibility to graduate letter should be available from Registrar’s Office or department (for graduate students) shortly after final marks are released, or your revised thesis is submitted (if applicable).
  • Transcript
    • Order an official transcript through ACORN. Officer reviews this to confirm that you studied full-time and without unauthorized breaks. The transcript does not need to include “degree conferred” (which can only be added after your convocation ceremony).
  • Copies from your passport or travel document, including the biographical page and all pages with visas, stamps or markings. (Note: IRCC can only issue you a PGWP that’s valid until your passport expires).
    • If you’ve got a brand new passport, you can provide copies from both your new and old passports, but put the new passport first, and mark it as ‘New Passport’ if possible. 
  • Passport-style photograph

You may need other documents, including, but not limited to:

  • Biometrics (digital fingerprints and photographs)
  • Immigration medical exam results (see section below).

Start by reviewing IRCC’s instruction guide for a PGWP application submitted within Canada.

For students with a spouse/partner with a Spousal Open Work Permit

For your spouse/common-law partner to be able to extend their open work permit for the validity of your PGWP, you must include proof that you have employment. Without that, it may be necessary for your spouse to extend their status in Canada as a visitor until you can prove your employment.

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Watch our guide on How to create an Account with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

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Watch our guide on How to Answer the Online Eligibility Questionnaire for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Application (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

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Watch our guide on How to complete the PGWP Application Form IMM 5710  (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

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Watch our guide on Special Cases related to the Post-Graduation Work Permit​ (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

If you are planning to work with children, or patients in the health services field, you must have an immigration medical exam. You will also require one if you have been in a ‘designated’ country for at least 6 of the past 12 months.

IRCC provides details about who requires immigration medical exams, who can offer them, and more.

If you require one, you can book the appointment before submitting your application, or you can do so once requested by IRCC. It is usually a good idea to do so in advance.

If you had an immigration medical exam within the 12 months prior to applying for your work permit, upload proof (i.e. a copy of your medical receipt) in your online application. Failure to do so may result in processing delays or the rejection of your application.

Note: A temporary public policy for immigration medical exams (IME) until October 6, 2024 may exempt eligible in-Canada applicants from the IME requirement.

Starting Work

If you meet the eligibility criteria (basically that your study permit is still valid on the day you submit the application, and you have not worked illegally), you are allowed to begin full-time work immediately. You can continue working until a decision is made about your PGWP application.

You may receive a letter confirming your right to work while waiting for the application to be processed. The expiry date on that letter does not limit your right to work, but you can request an updated confirmation of your eligibility to work through IRCC’s web form if your employer requires it.

Maintained Status

If your study permit becomes invalid after you apply for the PGWP, but before a decision is made, you can remain in Canada under maintained status while you wait for an answer. If you intend to leave Canada and re-enter, this may impact your right to keep working until the PGWP is issued.

Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) should expire with your current study permit. If you start work before your SIN expires, you can continue working with the same employer under maintained status. You cannot renew your SIN until you get your PGWP. Due to hiring requirements, you may not be able to start a new job in the time between when your SIN expires and when you can get it renewed.

Biometrics

If you are not an American citizen and have not provided biometrics as part of a Canadian immigration application in the past 10 years, you will be required to do so. You can also choose to re-submit biometrics if your current biometrics will expire before the end of your expected PGWP expiry. Your answers in the online eligibility questionnaire will show IRCC that you are required (or want) to submit biometrics. As a result, you will be required to pay an $85CAD biometric collection fee. After submitting the application, you will be sent a Biometric Instruction Letter that will guide you through booking a biometric collection appointment at Designated Service Canada offices.

Additional Documents

Immigration officers may ask you for additional documentation to make a decision about your application. If they ask you to attach the documents to your online application, you will login to your account where you must upload the documents and re-submit the application. IRCC provides specific details about how to do so. Failure to do so will likely result in a refusal of your application. 

Changes

If you need to notify IRCC about a change, you can use their web form.

Application Tracking

If you wish to track the status of your application, you can create a special IRCC “tracker account” to do so (note: this is not the same account where you submitted the online application).

IRCC will notify you through your IRCC account that the application was approved. The PGWP will be mailed to the Canadian mailing address you provided in the application. This process could take as long as 6 weeks. A successful in-Canada work permit application will not result in a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) (required by citizens of some countries to be able to enter Canada) being issued. That means you’ll need to make a separate application if you want to request one. This should only be done after the work permit is approved. Find more information about Entry Visas/TRVs & eTAs.

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Watch our guide on Next Steps After Getting your PGWP (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

Once you receive your Post-Graduation Work Permit, remember to apply to extend the validity of your Social Insurance Number (SIN). 

Most PGWP applications are submitted within Canada. If your circumstances allow, we recommend you do so.

If you apply from outside Canada, it may be problematic for you to enter Canada and begin working before your work permit has been approved. 

The in-Canada application process allows eligible students to begin working while the PGWP application is processed. Find more information about applying for a PGWP from within Canada. 

If you are still planning to apply from outside Canada, the following information can serve as a guide.

You must have proof of degree completion to apply for the PGWP.

Check with your Registrar’s Office (or department for graduate students) to determine the earliest date when they can confirm you have completed the requirements of the degree.

video player icon

Watch our guide on Deadlines and Working During the Transition Period: PGWP Application Outside Canada (Requires logging-in with UTORid)

The earliest you can get confirmation of degree completion is when final marks are released in your final term of study (for undergraduate and some graduate students). Thesis-based graduate programs will usually require you to submit your revised thesis. In all cases, the date should be before your convocation ceremony.

From the earliest date you can get confirmation of degree completion, you have a maximum of 180 days to apply. If you do not, you will lose your eligibility for the PGWP until you complete another qualifying program.

  • Application For Work Permit Made Outside Canada (IMM1295)
    • Look for the title at the top of the application, or the code at the bottom-left corner of each page. 
  • Proof of degree completion
    • Eligibility to graduate letter should be available from Registrar’s Office or department (for graduate students) shortly after final marks are released, or your revised thesis is submitted (if applicable).
  • Transcript
    • Available through ACORN. Officer reviews this to confirm that you studied full-time and without unauthorized breaks. The transcript does not need to include “degree conferred” (which can only be added after your convocation ceremony).
  • Copies from your passport or travel document
    • Including the biographical data page and all pages with visas, stamps or markings (your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the expected date of your arrival to Canada).
    • If you’ve got a brand new passport, you can provide copies from both your new and old passports, but put the new passport first, and mark it as ‘New Passport’ if possible. 
  • Passport-style photograph
  • Biometrics (digital fingerprints and photographs)

You may need other documents, including, but not limited to:

  • Immigration medical exam results (see below).
    • Proof of employment (only for students who have a spouse/partner in Canada with an open work permit)
      • This is necessary if the spouse or partner wants to extend their spousal open work permit to match your PGWP. Please review our Spousal Open Work Permit page for more information.

Start by reviewing IRCC’s instruction guide for a PGWP application submitted outside Canada.

For students with a spouse/partner with a Spousal Open Work Permit

For your spouse/common-law partner to be able to extend their open work permit for the validity of your PGWP, you must include proof that you have employment.

If you are planning to work with children, or patients in the health services field, you must have an immigration medical exam. You will also require one if you have been in a ‘designated’ country for at least 6 of the past 12 months.

IRCC provides details about who requires immigration medical exams, who can offer them, and more. 

If you require one, you can book the appointment before submitting your application, or you can do so once requested by IRCC. It is usually a good idea to do so in advance.

If you had an immigration medical exam within the 12 months prior to applying for your work permit, attach proof (i.e. a copy of your medical receipt). Failure to do so may result in processing delays or the rejection of your application.

Biometrics

If you are not an American citizen and have not provided biometrics as part of a Canadian immigration application in the past 10 years, you will be required to do so. You can also choose to re-submit biometrics if your current biometrics will expire before the end of your expected PGWP expiry. Your answers in the online eligibility questionnaire will show IRCC that you are required (or want) to submit biometrics. As a result, you will be required to pay an $85CAD biometric collection fee. After submitting the application, you will be sent a Biometric Instruction Letter that will guide you through booking a biometric collection appointment at any Visa Application Centre (VAC) or Application Support Centre (ASC).

Additional Documents

Immigration officers may ask you for additional documentation to make a decision about your application. If they ask you to attach the documents to your online application, you will login to your account where you must upload the documents and re-submit the application. IRCC provides specific details about how to do so. Failure to do so will likely result in a refusal of your application. 

Changes

If you need to notify IRCC about a change, you can use their web form.

Application Tracking

If you wish to track the status of your application, you can create a special IRCC “tracker account” to do so (note: this is not the same account where you submitted the online application).

If your application is approved, the visa office serving the country where you submitted your application will issue you an approval letter, known as a Port of Entry Letter of Introduction, and a visa or an eTA (if applicable). Do not book travel to Canada until you’ve received your Letter of Introduction. Present the letter to the border officer when you enter Canada to get the hard copy of your work permit.

If you require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV, also known as an entry or visitor visa), you will be asked to submit your passport so that the visa officer can affix the visa. You do not need to make a separate application.

If you require an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), you don’t have to submit your passport. An eTA will be issued electronically and associated with your passport number. Your eTA number and expiry date will be included in the Letter of Introduction.

Find more information about entering Canada.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Estimated processing times give an idea of how long an application could take to be processed. If something outside of your control makes urgent processing important, you can contact IRCC through their web form to ask if it is possible. It may take up to two weeks to get a response. Note: Use the ‘Update or ask about your application’ option and then the ‘Other’ section, as the ‘Ask for urgent processing for your permanent resident card’ section doesn’t include study/work permits. 

Keep in mind that you can begin working full-time under your study permit as soon as you submit your PGWP application (as long as you meet all the eligibility criteria). In this case, if your study permit becomes invalid, you can remain in Canada under ‘maintained status’ (formerly known as ‘implied status’) and continue to work for as long as it takes for IRCC to process your application.  

  • IMPORTANT: On Friday, June 21, 2024 the government ended the option of applying for a PGWP at a port of entry (source).

 

PGWP eligibility requires you to have studied full-time without unauthorized breaks. There may be situations where your part-time status can be explained and you can protect your eligibility. Find more information on taking a break from your studies

PGWP eligibility requires you to have studied full-time without unauthorized breaks. Faculty may have policies that allow your break to be authorized by U of T. This could protect your eligibility. Find more information on taking a break from your studies.

If you have not yet applied for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

If you have a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV – commonly called an Entry or Visitor Visa) or electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) and a valid study permit, you may travel and seek re-entry to Canada. A study permit remains valid until the expiry date printed on the permit or 90 days after you complete your studies, whichever comes first. Completion of studies is considered to be the date your final marks are released or you are able to get a confirmation of degree completion, whichever comes first.

If you are planning on applying for a PGWP after re-entry to Canada, note that eligibility for work authorization while waiting for a decision on a PGWP application requires you to have a valid study permit when you apply.

A border officer will have some questions for you when you arrive back in Canada. The officer may ask you about your request to re-enter Canada. You can explain that you are a returning student who will be applying for a PGWP and show documentation that you are eligible to apply. For example:

  • Eligibility to graduate letter issued within the prior 90 days
  • Valid study permit

Permission to re-enter Canada is not guaranteed. The officer makes the final decision about your eligibility to enter.

We recommend that you apply for a post-graduation work permit prior to leaving Canada if you are able to do so.

If you have already applied for a Post-Graduation Work Permit

If you have a valid TRV or eTA, you may travel and re-enter Canada before a decision is made on your PGWP application. See this IRCC FAQ and IRCC website for more details.

Post-graduation work permit applicants remain eligible to work full time without a work permit while waiting for a decision on their application even after leaving and re-entering Canada. See this IRCC website for more details.

A border officer will have some questions for you when you arrive back in Canada. You should state that your purpose for entering Canada is to WORK (not for study).The officer may ask you about your request to re-enter Canada. You can explain that you applied for a post-graduation work permit and show documentation that you applied. For example:

  • A copy of acknowledgement of receipt from your PGWP application
  • The fee payment receipt

Permission to re-enter Canada is not guaranteed. The officer makes the final decision about your eligibility to enter.

If you have finished your coursework, exams or defended your thesis, and you were eligible to work according to the rules about on and off-campus work, you can continue working as authorized until the University can confirm that you have completed your degree requirements or your final marks are released, whichever comes first. Once one of these criteria is met, you must stop working immediately.

After Applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

You can begin working full-time after applying for a PGWP if you:

  • had a valid study permit when you submitted your application (noting a study permit can be considered invalid 90 days after the completion of studies)
  • completed your study program
  • were eligible to work off campus without a work permit while studying and you didn’t work more hours than you were allowed to

If your study permit expires after you apply, but before a decision is made about your PGWP, you can continue working until a decision is made on your application.

If you want to work in a health-care setting, primary/secondary school setting, or other jobs where the protection of public health is important, you must undergo an Immigration Medical Exam (IME). The remark on your work permit is likely due to you not having an IME previously. To get the remark removed, you will need to apply to change the conditions of your work permit and complete an IME with a panel physician (either before you apply, known as an upfront medical exam, or before a decision is made on your new application). We recommend completing the upfront medical exam out of­ hope that it will speed up the process. You should not begin work that is not authorized by your existing permit until you receive your work study permit that has the restrictions removed. See FAQs above if you need to begin that work urgently.

Check out our Resources page for more support.