International students who complete their post-secondary education in Canada may stay and obtain Canadian work experience.
International students who have successfully completed a degree/diploma/certificate program of at least 8 months in length or more, from an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution, may apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit, which allows them to work in Canada.
A Post-Graduation Work Permit may be issued to an International Student, up to a maximum of three-years, based on the length of their study program. The Post-Graduation Work Permit allows students to work for any employer in any industry, across Canada.
The PGWPP allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning institutions to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience. Skilled Canadian work experience in the national occupational code A, O or B that is gained through the PGWPP helps graduates qualify for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian experience class, within Express Entry.
To be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, the students must the following requirements:
- They must have studied full-time in Canada and must have completed a program of study that lasted at least eight months. In addition, they must have graduated from:
- a public post-secondary educational institution (university, college, or CEGEP); or
- a private post-secondary educational institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as public institutions, or
- a private secondary or post-secondary institution (in Quebec) offering qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer leading to a diplôme d’études professionals (DEP) or an attestation de spécialisation Professionnelle (ASP), or
- a Canadian private educational institution authorized by provincial or territorial statute to confer degrees;
- they must apply for a work permit within 90 days of receiving written confirmation from their academic institution that they have met the requirements of completing their program;
- they must have completed and passed the program of study and received a written notification that they are eligible to obtain their degree, diploma, or certificate; and
- they must have a valid study permit when applying for the work permit.
Click here to find more information about post-graduation work permit and its requirements.