Post-Graduation Work Permit: The Complete Guide
The post graduation work permit is an open work permit for graduates of eligible Canadian programmes. Since 1 November 2024 it also requires a language test result, and for some graduates a qualifying field of study. Both are hard requirements, and neither is waived for having studied in English.
This guide is free to read and nothing on it requires you to contact anyone. If you would rather have your own eligibility checked against the current rules, the assessment is also free.
Post graduation work permit: the four requirements in full
Eligibility rests on four things: the institution and programme, a language test result at the level set for your credential, a qualifying field of study for some graduates, and applying inside the 180-day window.
- Institution and programme. You completed a programme of at least 8 months at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution. Not every designated institution is PGWP-eligible, and private colleges operating under a curriculum licensing agreement are excluded, with limited exceptions for agreements begun before 15 May 2024 within the same province, or before 31 January 2023 across provinces.
- Language. A test result meeting the level set for your credential. The table below sets out which level applies. This requirement covers PGWP applications submitted on or after 1 November 2024.
- Field of study. Required for some graduates, depending on the credential and on when the study permit was applied for. The next section sets out who it covers.
- Timing. You apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your programme, and your study permit was valid at some point during those 180 days.
The permit is issued once. IRCC’s wording is that you cannot get a PGWP if you already had one after completing an earlier programme of study. A second Canadian credential does not produce a second permit.
Language requirement: the level depends on your credential
This is the requirement most graduates are unaware of, and it is not optional. You must submit results from an accepted language test, and the minimum level differs by the type of programme you completed.
| What you graduated from | Minimum language level |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree at a university | Canadian Language Benchmarks 7 in English, or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens 7 in French, in all four abilities: reading, writing, listening and speaking |
| Other university programme | CLB 7 in English, or NCLC 7 in French, in all four abilities |
| College, polytechnic or other non-university programme | CLB 5 in English, or NCLC 5 in French, in all four abilities |
| Flight school | No language requirement |
- The level must be met in every one of the four abilities separately. A strong overall result with one ability below the line does not qualify.
- The requirement applies to PGWP applications submitted on or after 1 November 2024. Applications submitted before that date were not subject to it.
- There is no exemption for having studied in English or French, or for holding a Canadian degree taught in an official language.
- Book the test early. Results take time to arrive, and the 180-day window does not pause while you wait for them.
Field of study: who it applies to
Field of study requirements do not apply to everyone. They turn on the credential you completed and on when you applied for your study permit, not on when you started the programme and not on when you graduated.
| Graduate | Field of study requirement |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree | No field of study restriction |
| Flight school | No field of study restriction |
| Other university programme (non-degree) | If the study permit application was submitted on or after 1 November 2024, the programme must be linked to an occupation in long-term shortage |
| College, polytechnic or other non-university programme | If the study permit application was submitted on or after 1 November 2024, the programme must be linked to an occupation in long-term shortage |
The date that matters here is when you applied for your study permit. The list of qualifying fields is published by IRCC and has been revised more than once, so check the current list against your own programme rather than against what applied to a previous intake. Confirm at IRCC’s PGWP eligibility page.
How long the permit lasts, and why that decides everything after it
The length follows the length of your programme, and IRCC publishes the rule. That length decides how much Canadian work experience you can build before it expires, and that experience is what most permanent residence routes are built on.
| Programme length | Permit length |
|---|---|
| Less than 8 months | Not eligible for a PGWP |
| 8 months to less than 2 years | Up to the same length as the programme, so a 9-month programme produces a permit of up to 9 months |
| 2 years or more | 3 years |
| Master’s degree of at least 8 months | 3 years, even where the programme was shorter than 2 years. This has applied since 15 February 2024 and does not extend to certificates or diplomas. |
The permit will only be issued for the period your passport is valid. If your passport expires before your full eligibility period ends, you can apply to extend the permit once you have a renewed passport, but the shortfall is real until you do, and it costs another application.
Because the permit is issued once and its length is fixed by the programme, this is a decision made when you choose the programme, not when you graduate. A short programme produces a short permit, and a short permit can mean not holding enough qualifying experience by the time it ends.
What the permit is actually for
The permit is not the destination. It is the mechanism for acquiring skilled Canadian work experience, which is what the main permanent residence routes are built on.
- Canadian Experience Class. Skilled work experience in Canada is the core requirement, and the occupation you work in counts as much as the time you spend in it.
- Provincial nominee streams. A nomination adds 600 points to a Comprehensive Ranking System score, which in practice decides most borderline cases.
- Category-based selection. Occupation, education or French ability can place a candidate in a category the Minister has established for that year.
- A job offer no longer adds CRS points. IRCC removed job offer points from the Comprehensive Ranking System on 25 March 2025. A job still matters, because it produces the experience, but it no longer scores.
The occupation classification of the job you take on this permit decides which of those routes stays open. A job that pays well but is not classified as skilled work can leave a graduate with years of experience that does not count towards anything.
The order to do it in
- Get the confirmation of completion. The final transcript or the institution’s completion letter. The 180-day window runs from this, not from your last exam and not from convocation.
- Have the language result in hand. CLB or NCLC 7 for degree and other university graduates, 5 for college, polytechnic and other non-university graduates, in all four abilities.
- Check your study permit status. It must have been valid at some point during those 180 days.
- Check your passport validity. The permit cannot be issued beyond the passport expiry date.
- Apply within 180 days. The window is fixed and not discretionary. Missing it means there is no PGWP, and there is no second chance at one.
If the permit is ending and permanent residence is not in place
This is the situation most graduates come to us with, and it has more options than it appears to from inside it.
- A bridging open work permit, if a permanent residence application is already in progress and your current permit has not yet expired. See bridging open work permit eligibility.
- An employer-supported work permit, which may require a Labour Market Impact Assessment. See LMIA and work permits.
- A provincial nomination, which can carry its own work permit support.
- A spousal open work permit, if your partner holds qualifying status. The eligible categories narrowed on 21 January 2025 and now turn on your partner’s TEER category and on 16 months remaining on their permit. See open work permits.
All of these are easier eight months before the permit expires than eight weeks before. Our Express Entry and permanent residence service exists for this transition, and the free assessment tells you which route your experience actually qualifies you for.
What the government charges
These are IRCC’s own fees for the permit itself. The language test is charged by the test centre.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Work permit, processing fee | CAD 155 |
| Open work permit holder fee | CAD 100 |
| Biometrics, one person | CAD 85 |
| Restoration of status as a worker, if your status has already lapsed | CAD 401.25, being the CAD 246.25 restoration fee plus a new CAD 155 work permit |
| Language test | Charged by the test centre, not by IRCC |
Taken from the IRCC fee list on 5 September 2026.
Your journey with Canada Shaws
The same seven steps apply to every matter we take, whichever programme it is. The first two cost nothing, and the third is optional.
- Free preliminary assessment. You complete our client intake form with your background, your goals and your current circumstances. An RCIC reviews what you have provided and carries out a preliminary assessment to identify the immigration programmes or pathways that may be relevant to your situation on the information available at this stage.
- Assessment follow-up and information review. Our client representative contacts you to introduce the pathways the RCIC identified, explain our service process and professional fees, and understand your circumstances better. They may also review what you submitted, clarify anything incomplete or unclear, and confirm whether more information is needed. You can ask questions and see the available next steps.
- Optional paid RCIC consultation. After the assessment and follow-up, you decide whether you want to speak directly with an RCIC before proceeding. If your questions are complex, or you want a detailed professional discussion of the options identified, you may book a paid consultation. It is optional. You can also proceed straight to signing up if you are ready.
- Sign up with your RCIC. If you decide to proceed, you enter into a formal service agreement directly with the RCIC who will be professionally responsible for your matter. Once it is in place, the file moves into formal case preparation.
- Detailed information and document preparation. Our team collects and reviews the detailed information and supporting documents your matter requires, and guides you through preparing them.
- Application preparation and RCIC final review. The case team prepares your application package under the supervision of your RCIC: forms, supporting documents, submission letters and any other required materials. Your RCIC carries out the final professional review before submission.
- Submission, updates and next steps. After submission we keep you informed of material developments. If immigration authorities request further information or issue a decision, our team guides you through the response, the result, and what happens next.
Reviewed by Frederick Li, RCIC-IRB Level 3 (College ID R506683) and Jin (Cellia) Xiao, RCIC Level 2 (College ID R512398), both listed as Entitled to Practise on the CICC public register. Verify any Canadian immigration consultant at register.college-ic.ca.
Common questions
Do I really need a language test for a PGWP?
Yes, for applications submitted on or after 1 November 2024. Bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and other university graduates need CLB or NCLC 7 in all four abilities; college, polytechnic and other non-university graduates need CLB or NCLC 5 in all four. Flight school graduates are exempt. There is no exemption for having studied in English or French.
What if one of my four scores is below the line?
The requirement is met in each ability separately, so a single low score fails it. Retake the test, but watch the 180-day window, because it does not pause while you wait for a result.
Does the field of study requirement apply to me?
Only if you graduated from a college, polytechnic, other non-university programme, or a non-degree ‘other university’ programme, and your study permit application was submitted on or after 1 November 2024. Bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and flight school graduates are not subject to it.
How long will my permit be?
A programme of 8 months to under 2 years produces a permit of up to the programme length. A programme of 2 years or more produces 3 years. A master’s degree of at least 8 months produces 3 years even if the programme was shorter than 2 years. In every case the permit cannot run past your passport expiry.
Can I get a second PGWP?
No. It is issued once. This is why the length of your programme, and the language and field of study rules, are worth checking before you enrol rather than after. See public colleges and private colleges.
I missed the 180 days. Is there anything else?
Not a post graduation work permit. The window is not discretionary. Other permits may be available depending on your status and your partner’s, which is what the free assessment would look at.
Can I get a post graduation work permit without a language test?
Not for applications submitted on or after 1 November 2024. A post graduation work permit now requires a language result at CLB or NCLC 7 for degree and other university graduates, or 5 for college and other non-university graduates, in all four abilities.
Check your post graduation work permit eligibility
Send us your programme, your institution, the date your study permit was applied for and the date your completion was confirmed. There is no charge for the assessment: you will get back whether the field of study rule applies to you, what language level you need, how long your permit would be, and how many days you have left.
Requirements described on this page are taken from the published criteria of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (and, where a page says so, Employment and Social Development Canada or the relevant province) and were checked on the date below. Immigration rules change, and the official criteria govern, so confirm the current requirement before you act on anything here.
No representative can guarantee an immigration outcome, and we do not promise one. What we commit to is a complete, correctly prepared application and a named licensed consultant responsible for it. Canada Shaws Consulting Inc. provides immigration consulting services as Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants; we are not a law firm and do not provide legal services.
Page last verified: 5 September 2026.
