Core eligibility
You must meet all of these:
- Eligible school and programComplete a program at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI). Not every program at a DLI qualifies; check the DLI list. Our DLI, PGWP and CIP checker helps.
- At least 8 monthsThe program must be at least 8 months long (900 hours for Quebec programs) and be a credit program; non-credit programs (other than flight school) do not qualify.
- Full-time every semesterMaintain full-time status in each semester. Only the final semester may be part-time.
- Apply within 180 daysApply within 180 days of the confirmation that you completed your program.
- Valid study permit in that windowYour study permit must have been valid at some point during those 180 days.
- Language testMeet the language level for your program (below), with results less than 2 years old.
- Field of study, if it appliesSome programs must be in an eligible field (below).
Language requirement
| Program | Minimum in all four skills |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree | CLB 7 (English) or NCLC 7 (French) |
| Other university programs | CLB 7 or NCLC 7 |
| College, polytechnic or other non-university programs | CLB 5 or NCLC 5 |
A bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree earned at a college or other non-university institution also needs CLB/NCLC 7 (for PGWP applications since March 11, 2025). CLB/NCLC 5 applies only to college, polytechnic and other non-university programs that do not lead to a degree.
Accepted tests are CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. Tests must be taken in person, cover reading, writing, listening and speaking, and be less than 2 years old when you apply. If you combine programs with different requirements, you must meet the higher one. Graduates of PGWP-eligible flight schools are exempt from the language and field-of-study requirements.
Field of study
No field requirement
Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees; graduates who applied for their study permit before November 1, 2024; flight school graduates.
Field requirement
Other university programs, and college, polytechnic and non-university programs that do not lead to a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, if the study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024.
How it works
The program's 6-digit CIP code (CIP Canada 2021) must be on IRCC's list of eligible codes when you applied for the study permit or when you apply for the PGWP.
2026
IRCC says it will not add or remove eligible fields of study in 2026. Some codes have date conditions tied to earlier applications; check the code in IRCC's table.
How long the PGWP is valid
| Program length | PGWP length |
|---|---|
| Under 8 months | Not eligible. |
| 8 months to under 2 years | Up to the length of the program (for example, a 9-month program can give up to 9 months). |
| 2 years or more | Up to 3 years. |
| Master's program of at least 8 months but under 2 years | Up to 3 years (since February 15, 2024). Not for certificates or diplomas. |
| Several eligible programs | The lengths may be combined if each program is PGWP-eligible and at least 8 months. |
The PGWP cannot run past your passport's expiry. If your passport expired before the full period, you can apply on paper to extend the PGWP once you have a new passport; no new language test is needed for that. An accelerated program completed early may still give a PGWP for the full normal program length.
Who is not eligible
- People who already received a PGWP.
- Graduates of English or French as a second language programs, general-interest or self-improvement courses, or non-credit programs (except flight school).
- People who received Global Affairs Canada funding or a scholarship requiring them to return home.
- Graduates who did more than 50% of the program by distance learning, subject to the special COVID-era rules.
- Students at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada, or at a non-eligible DLI or program.
- Students in curriculum-licensing programs (a private college delivering a public college's program), unless they started on or before May 15, 2024 (same province) or January 31, 2023 (different provinces).
Distance learning and transfers
Online study from outside Canada
For programs locked in on or after September 1, 2024, at least 50% must be in-class in Canada, and time studied from outside Canada is deducted from the PGWP length. Earlier periods follow transition rules.
Transfers
Between DLIs, at least 8 months of study is needed in total. From a non-DLI to a DLI, only the time at the DLI counts and it must be at least 8 months.
Leave
An unauthorized leave that broke your permit conditions can make you ineligible. An authorized leave of up to 150 days, with proof from the DLI, may be allowed.
Overseas components
Credit from a Canadian school for a study-abroad component is allowed, but the PGWP covers only time studied in Canada.
How to apply
- Get your documentsProof of completion (degree, diploma, certificate, official letter or transcript), proof of full-time enrolment (official transcript), language test results, proof of an eligible field of study where it applies, and passport. Quebec graduates also provide a school letter with program length and code.
- Apply onlineApply through your IRCC secure account. IRCC accepts PGWP applications from inside or outside Canada; instruction guide 5580 covers online applications from inside Canada. Paper is allowed for applicants with a disability or when the online system has a problem; paper applicants outside Canada use guide 5487.
- Pay $255The $155 work permit fee plus the $100 open work permit holder fee, and $85 for biometrics if needed.
- Upload extrasProof of an eligible field of study is not on the checklist; upload it under "Client information".
- Medical examWithout an upfront medical exam, the PGWP may restrict work in health, child-care or school settings. After the exam, you can apply on paper to remove the restriction.
Working while you wait
You can work full-time while your PGWP application is pending if you had a valid study permit when you applied, completed your program, and were allowed to work off campus during studies without exceeding your hours. If you received the IMM 0127 letter, you can keep working after its validity period ends until a decision is made. You can travel and return while waiting if you have a valid visa or eTA, but you must meet entry requirements at the border. If the application is refused, stop working the day you are notified.
Plan before you enrol
- Check the exact programSchool, campus, credential and the PGWP-eligible programs list.
- Know the CIP codeFor non-degree programs, confirm the CIP code and whether the field-of-study rule applies to your study permit date.
- LanguagePlan for CLB 7 for degrees and university programs, or CLB 5 for college and other non-university programs that do not lead to a degree, and time the test so results are under 2 years old when you apply.
- PassportRenew a passport that will expire during the expected PGWP period.
Master's and doctoral graduates
Degree programs have no field-of-study requirement and need CLB/NCLC 7. A master's program of at least 8 months can support a 3-year PGWP. Doctoral students and their families benefit from IRCC's 2-week processing target for study permits, and master's (16 months or longer) and doctoral students' spouses may qualify for open work permits.
Status rules during studies matter
Full-time study
Part-time semesters other than the last one can make you ineligible.
Authorized work only
Exceeding your hours, or working while ineligible, can lead to refusal.
Permit expiry
Your study permit ends 90 days after you complete your program, or earlier if printed.
Records
Keep transcripts, enrolment letters and leave approvals.
After the PGWP
- No guaranteeA PGWP does not guarantee permanent residence.
- Canadian experienceSkilled work on a PGWP can count toward the Canadian Experience Class and provincial streams.
- TimingIRCC's PGWP pages describe an extension only for the passport case. Plan language tests and permanent-residence applications well before the PGWP expires.
Official sources
- IRCC: About the PGWP
- IRCC: PGWP, who can apply
- IRCC: PGWP field of study requirement
- IRCC: PGWP documents
- IRCC: How to apply for a PGWP
- IRCC: PGWP, after you apply
- IRCC: Designated learning institutions list
- IRCC: Fee list
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.