PGWP holders can now get open work permit for 18 more months

From Jan 27, 2021, a new policy is active that allows international students holding a PGWP that’s about to expire to get a new open work permit. This new work permit will be a one-time work permit that will be valid for 18 months.

IRCC is now taking applications submitted by international students who now have a PGWP and are willing to get a new open work permit as their PGWP has or is about to expire.

With the new open work permit, they can continue to stay and work in Canada. The open work permit does not bind the candidate with a particular employer in Canada. The following are the requirements to be met with by the candidate to apply for an open work permit:

• The candidate’s PGWP must have expired on or after January 30, 2020, or the permit must have 4 months or less to expire from the application date
• The candidate must be present in Canada
• The candidate must possess a valid temporary status if he’s not applying for restoration of status
• The candidate must have a valid passport

Canada allows PGWP to international students with the aim of attracting them to join Canadian study programs and to retain them after their graduation as skilled workers. International students who study in Canada at DLIs could be eligible to apply for PGWP that’s valid for up to 3 years.

With a PGWP, the graduates who finish studies in Canada can look for work in Canada with any employer they see fit. All the experience they gain working with PGWP can be added towards the work experience they mention while applying for a Canada PR visa.

By allowing 18 more months over and above the validity of PGWP, the Canadian government has also made it possible for Canadian employers to choose skilled candidates with the right amount of Canadian exposure and work experience. This lets them not have to look for foreign workers from beyond Canada for whom they will have to take LMIA. The LMIA process is a lengthy and costly process for them and hence the employers prefer international students who graduated and have an open work permit before any other foreign candidates.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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Note:

IRCC – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

PGWP – Post Graduate Work Program

DLI – Designated Learning Institution

LMIA – Labor Market Impact Assessment