Talented Skills will have their post-graduate work permit extended to 18 months

Starting from April 6, 2023, The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has announced that international graduates who have expired or are in the process of expiring post-graduation work permit (PGWP) will have an additional work permit or an extended one to stay more and have more work experience that reaches up to 18 months.

 It is worth mentioning that PGWP grants international graduates valuable Canadian work experience that is essential in their working journey inside or outside Canada.

New measures for foreign nationals having PGWP

Foreign nationals with an expiring PGWP, along with those who were eligible to get the 2022 PGWP facilitative measure, will also have the opportunity to acquire an additional work permit for 18 months, even if they have passed the 90-day restoration period. They will be given a temporary work authorization while waiting to process their new work permit.

This measure came from the events of unprecedented challenges that employers are facing in finding workers and retaining them during the economic recovery and growth of Canada.

“We need to use every tool in our toolbox to support employers who continue to face challenges in hiring the workers they need to grow. At the same time, we’re providing international graduates whose work permit is expiring or has expired with some additional time to stay in Canada to gain valuable work experience and potentially qualify to become a permanent resident.”

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Talented foreign graduates play an essential role in covering the labour shortage in Canada, especially those who have PGWP that is about to end; they are well integrated into Canada’s labour market.

This extended work permit will pave the way for PGWP holders to acquire their PR while working and gaining valuable work experience, in addition to contributing towards thriving the Canadian economy.

Eligibility requirements of Post Graduation Work Permit PGWP

You can receive the post-graduation work permit once in a lifetime and in order to be eligible for PGWP, you must meet all the following criteria by showing evidence:

• You must have completed a period of 8 months at least in an academic, vocational, or professional training program at an eligible institution in Canada, leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
• You have maintained full-time student status in Canada.
• You have received a transcript and an official letter from the eligible DLI that confirms that you have met the requirements for this study program.

In addition, you have to meet at least one criteria from the following (within 180 days from applying)

1. hold a valid study permit.
2. You are authorized to study in Canada without obtaining a study permit, in two cases, if you are a member of the armed forces, or you have a family member, or you are a member of a private staff for a foreign representative.
3. If you graduated from a program that is a private career college delivered under a curriculum licensing agreement with a public PGWP-eligible institution in another province, so you are not eligible for a post-graduation work permit.

So as a skilled, talented foreign worker now, you can extend your PGWP if it is about to expire or even expired, so you can have an additional temporary work permit or Work authorization to work in Canada until your new work permit is processed.