The short answer: the Post-Graduation Work Permit lets international graduates of eligible Canadian institutions work for almost any employer after their studies. Permit length is generally tied to your program length, up to a maximum of 3 years, and you must apply within 180 days of getting confirmation that you completed your program.

Who's eligible

Per IRCC's official eligibility criteria, to qualify you generally need to have:

  • Completed a program at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution that is at least 8 months long (or 900 hours for Quebec programs)
  • Maintained full-time student status in each semester (part-time is allowed in your final semester only)
  • A valid study permit at some point during the 180 days after your program completion

Programs shorter than 8 months don't qualify for a PGWP at all, that's the first thing to check before you assume you're eligible.

Permit length depends on your program

Unlike OPT's flat 12-month period, PGWP length scales with how long your program was, up to a 3-year cap for longer programs. Shorter eligible programs get a shorter permit. This is worth confirming for your specific program before you plan your job search timeline around it.

The field-of-study rule that started November 2024

This is the detail that trips people up. For study permit applications submitted on or after November 1, 2024, the rules split by degree type:

  • Bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree holders: no field-of-study restriction.
  • College, polytechnic, or non-university program graduates: you generally need to have graduated in an eligible field of study for your PGWP application to qualify.

Language requirements also apply (CLB/NCLC 7 for university programs, CLB/NCLC 5 for college programs), though applications submitted before November 1, 2024 are exempt from the language requirement under transitional rules.

This is general information, not immigration advice. PGWP rules have changed multiple times in recent years, and your program's specific eligibility should be confirmed directly with your institution's international student office or IRCC's own tools before you make plans around it.

Government of Canada: Post-graduation work permit eligibility

Where this fits if you're job hunting

A PGWP gives you open work authorization, but it doesn't get you hired on its own. If you're a recent grad in Toronto or Vancouver trying to convert that permit into an actual offer, the mechanics of the job search (a resume that parses, a profile recruiters actually see, applications that land in front of a person) matter just as much as the permit itself.