Post-Graduation Work Permits for International Students In Canada
Many
international students who complete post-secondary education in Canada wish to
stay and obtain Canadian work experience.
Once they have completed their studies in an eligible
program at an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution, international
graduates can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, which allows them to
work in Canada.
In its effort to retain international students,
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) operates a Post-Graduate
Work Permit Program. Under this program, international graduates may obtain an
open work permit — for up to three years! This allows them to work for any
Canadian employer in any industry without the requirement of a Canadian job offer
at the time of applying.
International students can only receive one
Post-Graduation Work Permit from IRCC, so its important to take advantage of
that opportunity.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, international
students must have:
·
Completed
studies in Canada in an academic, vocational or professional training program
that is at least eight months long at an eligible Designated Learning
Institution (DLI) List.
o
Study
program must lead to a degree, diploma or certificate.
·
Held
full-time student status in Canada during every academic session of the program
or programs of study completed and included as part of their post-graduation
work permit application;
o
Some
exceptions may be made for leave from studies and final academic session.
·
Received
a transcript and an official letter from the eligible DLI confirming that the
applicant has met the requirements to complete their program of study;
o
The
transcript and official letter must be included in a post-graduation work
permit application.
·
Graduated
from:
o
a public
post-secondary institution, such as
o
a
college
o
a trade
or technical school
o
a
university
o
CEGEP
(in Quebec)
o
a
private post-secondary school (in Quebec) that operates under the same rules as
public schools in Quebec;
o
a
private secondary or post-secondary school (in Quebec) that offers qualifying
programs of 900 hours or longer and results in the issuance of a diplôme
d’études professionnelles (DEP) or an attestation de spécialisation
professionnelle (ASP); or
o
Canadian
private school that can award degrees under provincial law (for example,
Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree) but only if the student
was enrolled in a study program that leads to a degree as authorized by the
province.
Note: Graduates of vocational and professional training
programs in Quebec must meet additional criteria outlined by IRCC depending on
the type of diploma issued.
Deadline to Apply: 180 days!
In 2019, the Government of Canada extended the time to
apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit from 90 to 180 days (six months)
after obtaining a transcript and an official letter from the eligible DLI
confirming that the requirements to complete the program of study have been
met.
When applying, applicants must demonstrate that they
either hold a valid study permit, held a study permit, or were authorized to
study in Canada without the requirement to obtain a study permit under
paragraphs 188(1)(a) and (b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection
Regulations.
Required
Supporting Documents
While program officers may request additional
documents, two important documents required at the time of applying are a
letter confirming the completion of the program of study and an official
transcript by their DLI.
Ineligible
Applicants
International students are ineligible to apply if they:
·
Have
previously been issued a post-graduation work permit
·
Received
funding from global affairs Canada (gac)
·
Participated
in the government of Canada awards program funded by gac
·
Obtained
the equal opportunity scholarship, Canada–chile
·
Participated
in the Canada–china scholars’ exchange program
·
Participated
in the organization of american states fellowships program
·
Completed
the majority of the credits toward the completion of their program of study by
distance learning
·
Completed
a program of study delivered by a non-canadian institution located in Canada,
regardless of the length of stay in Canada.
Special Cases
There are a few cases where international students may
be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit if they have completed an
accelerated or distance learning program or requested a leave from studies.
To
know more about Eligibility to apply under this category, about the financial requirement,
to do an evaluation of your case and for a consultation, please contact us
+1 647 673 7979 or email tocanada@canamericaimmigration.com