Changes to the Post Graduate Work Permit

What is a Post Graduate Work Permit?

A post graduate work permit is just the same as any other work permit. However, it is only given to students who have studied in Canada for at least 8 months. Through this program students are offered a chance to gain some work experience relating to their studies for up to 3 years. The post graduate work permit cannot be valid for longer than the students study period. Obtaining a post graduate work permit is extremely helpful because down the road the student may be eligible to apply for permanent residence through the Canadian Experience Class program.

Are You Eligible To Apply For The Post Graduate Work Permit?

In order to be eligible to apply for the post graduate work permit, you must have studied full-time in Canada and completed a program of study that lasted a minimum of eight months. The school that you have completed must be one of the following: public post-secondary institution (e.g. college, university, trades/technical school), a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public institution, a private or public post-secondary institution (in Quebec) offering qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer leading to a diplôme d’études professionnelles (DEP) or an attestation de spécialisation professionnelle (ASP), or a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees. You must apply for a work permit within 90 days of receiving a written confirmation (e.g. transcript) for your school stating that you have met the requirements for completing your program. You must have completed and passed your program and received a notification stating that you may obtain your certificate, diploma, or degree. Your study permit must be valid when applying for the work permit. You may be eligible to apply for a post graduate work permit if you have graduated from a vocational or professional training program at a private of public post secondary institution in Quebec, regulated by the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

In order to qualify on this basis students must be 18 years old or older, have completed a full-time program that lasted 900 hours or more, and provide a supporting letter from your institution outlining the duration of your studies and the program code. All other requirements are the same as the previous ones.

If your program is less than 8 months long, then you will not be eligible for a work permit. If your program is more than 8 months, but less than 2 years; you as the student will be eligible for a work permit that is no longer than the time of their studies. If your program is 2 or more years in length, then you are eligible for a work permit up to 3 years.

Who Is Not Eligible To Apply For The Post Graduate Work Permit:

An individual who participated in a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship Program funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD)
An individual who participated participate in a Government of Canada Awards Program funded by DFATD
An individual who received funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
An individual who participated in the Equal Opportunity Scholarship, Canada-Chile
An individual who participated in the Canada-China Scholars Exchanges Program
An individual who participated in the Organization of American States Fellowships Program
An individual who participated in a distance learning program either from abroad or from within Canada
An individual who has previously been issued a Post-Graduation Work Permit following any other program of study.

All in all, this is how you would determine whether you are eligible or not for the post-graduate work permit. The post graduate work permit is an extremely helpful program. It offers students who come from abroad a chance to work and eventually live in Canada.