Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP) 

An foreign student graduating from a Canadian post-secondary university may remain and work in Canada for a certain amount of time following their studies thanks to the Post-Graduation Work Permit scheme (PGWP), a Canadian immigration scheme. In addition to encouraging overseas students to stay and support the Canadian economy, the program aims to help them obtain useful work experience in Canada.

A full-time program of study at an approved Canadian post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, is required for international students to be eligible for the PGWP. The course must endure for a minimum of eight months, and the student must have finished it within the previous 180 days.

The duration of the study program determines how long an overseas student can participate in the PGWP. The program is not open to students who have finished less than an eight-month study program. A PGWP that is valid for the same amount of time as the study program is available to students who have finished programs of study that range in length from eight months to two years. Students are eligible for a PGWP that is good for three years if they have finished a course of study that is longer than two years.

Since the PGWP is an open work permit, international students who are accepted into the program are able to work anywhere in Canada for any business. It is also easier for international students to get employment in Canada because the program is excluded from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement.