Post-graduation work permit (PGWP)

When to apply

While IRCC’s policy states that you have 180 days to apply, if you are in Canada we highly recommend applying for your PGWP within 90 days of completing your program or by the expiry date on your study permit, whichever comes first.

Even if the expiry date on your study permit is valid for a longer time, it still automatically expires 90 days after completion of studies, unless you’ve been accepted to further education in Canada. Check your official completion of studies letter from the University for the date you completed your degree requirements. 

If you apply after the initial 90 days following completion of your program and from within Canada, you’ll be required to restore your study permit status when applying for your PGWP online.  However, you must do so within 90 days after your study permit has expired (and within 180 days of program completion).  You won’t be able to begin working until you receive the PGWP. If you have a reason to delay the submission of your PGWP beyond the 90 days following completion of your program, we would highly recommend you speak with one of our immigration consultants.

Your study permit must be valid until the end of your program. If your study permit won’t be valid or it expires very shortly after completing your program, you can apply to extend your study permit before you finish your degree. The extension will give you an extra 90 days in Canada after your last term.

How the length of the PGWP is determined

The length of a PGWP depends on the length of your full-time program, not how long you took to complete it. Students that complete a program of two or more years in length may be eligible for a PGWP issued for three years. Please note: Effective February 15, 2024 (for applications received on or after February 15, 2024), three year PGWPs will be available to those who are graduating from a Masters degree program that is less than 2 years in length and who meet all other PGWP eligibility criteria. If you complete two post-secondary programs at designated learning institutions in Canada, IRCC will consider both programs when issuing the PGWP as long as the second program was completed within two years following the completion of your first program and both programs are more than eight months in length.

Once you have a PGWP

The PGWP can only be held once in a lifetime. If you think you may pursue another post-secondary program in Canada in the near future, please read the information about working after your degree on our working in Canada webpage. Also, you are welcome to speak to one of our immigration consultants about your plans.

It is not possible to extend a PGWP. However, if your PGWP is issued for a shorter period due to your passport expiry date, once you renew your passport, you can apply for the remainder of the eligible length. This extension has to be done through the paper-based application method and mailed. 

If you are going to work part-time ​off campus after your last exams or after you submit your graduate level thesis, ​IRCC states you have to stop working once you receive written confirmation of program completion. ​At Waterloo, for undergraduate students and course-based Masters students, you must stop working at the end of the last day of the term. You would then be able to request ​your letter of completion and your official transcript as explained in the ‘Document checklist’ for your PGWP application. 

Please note: If you are a graduate student in a research-based degree program, then you will be considered ‘degree awarded’ on the date your PhD thesis or Masters thesis is submitted. It may take a few days for this ‘degree awarded’ status to be reflected on Quest, so you should stop working on the date you submit your thesis. You will still need to wait until ‘degree awarded’ appears on your Quest account to request your letter of completion and your official transcript.​

If you want to work immediately after submitting the PGWP application, full-time or part-time, while you are waiting for the application to be processed, you can do so under R186(w) as long as you apply within 90 days of completing your program, with a valid study permit that has the R186(v) work condition stated, have a Social Insurance Number, and have not worked without authorization throughout your period of studies including not working more hours than allowed by IRCC.

If you leave Canada after applying for the PGWP and return to Canada, R186(w) is still in effect if your application has not been processed, even if your study permit has expired. Remember you need a valid temporary resident visa (TRV) or eTA (electronic travel authorization), depending on your country of citizenship, to re-enter Canada. More information on re-entering Canada after applying for a PGWP from inside Canada can be found here. 

Documents to prepare for entry to Canada as a worker are very similar to entry as a student. A job offer is not required when entering Canada with a pending PGWP application, approval or the actual PGWP. If you do have a job offer, keep proof with your other entry documents. 

For more details on working before you apply for the post-graduation work permit, or working in-between two programs with your study permit, please see our working in Canada page.

1. Go to the Government of Canada’s website and create/sign into your IRCC account.
2. Under 'start an application' in your online account, select 'apply to come to Canada'.
3. Under 'determine your eligibility and apply online', select ‘visitor visa, study and/or work permit’, and answer the eligibility questions to generate the document checklist. 

Watch our videos to have one of our immigration consultants walk you through the application process and required documents. 

Alternatively, you can apply for the post-graduation work permit through a Canadian visa office outside of Canada serving the country where you are residing. If you’re considering applying from outside of Canada, we would recommend speaking with one of our immigration consultants before doing so.

1. Application form IMM5710​​
   • You need to download the form from your online document checklist and open it with Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it for free. 
   • The application form is not signed when applying online. Type your name into the signature box. Make sure you re-validate and re-save the form after making any changes.

2. You'll be required to provide the following documents from the University of Waterloo proving you've completed your degree requirements. These documents can be requested once your unofficial transcript on Quest states ‘degree awarded’. You don't need to wait until after your convocation ceremony to apply for the PGWP. 

   • An official completion of studies letter from the University stating you've met all degree requirements for your program 

     • Get your free proof of enrolment letter in Quest which will confirm your student enrolment status. The letter includes your student ID number, enrolment status, enrolment history, program length and anticipated completion date. 

     • If you receive a message directing you to order a modified proof of enrolment letter, you will receive instructions from The Centre. Note there is a fee for students who require a modified proof of enrolment letter.

     • If you are an undergraduate and have a time-sensitive reason, you can order the Eligible to Graduate Letter form before grades are officially released 

3. An official transcript from the University
   • Request an official transcript — now processed online through MyCreds^TM. Follow these steps to email yourself a link to download your official transcript. You then upload the purchased official transcript PDF file to your application. 
     • In Quest, go to ‘academics’.
     • Select ‘official transcript request’ in the menu.
     • Read the page, and select ‘submit’.
     • You will receive an email within 1-2 business days from the University with a link for MyCreds^TM to register using your WatIAM.
     • You then pay in MyCreds^TM by adding a share credit by clicking on ‘add more’.
     • Once you add a share credit, you can then click ‘share’. (You can watch MyCreds^TM how-to videos for help).
     • Select ‘generate a link to my documents’.
     • Only ‘purpose of share’ and ‘recipient email’ are required.
     • You will receive an email with a link to download your official transcript.
   • You can also go in person to the Student Service Centre on the first floor of Needles Hall to request a physical official transcript or submit the official transcript – paper copy form and pick it up there. You would have to open the sealed envelope and scan the official transcript for your online application.
   • If you were a BASE or ELAS student in your first year, we'd recommend including an explanation letter with your official transcript to outline why you were registered in a part-time course load at Waterloo. Download a sample template for the BASE program or a sample template for the ELAS program to help you get started.
4. Passport scans

   • Include the biographical page and all pages that include content from Canada or another country: e.g. stamps, visas, or markings. 

   • Include your current study permit and co-op work permit (if applicable).

   • If you have renewed a passport since beginning your studies in Canada, include the past passport(s) with the newest passport first in the file.

   • All images will need to be merged into 1 file which must be less than 4MB.

5. Digital photo of you taken in the last six months that meets the requirements. 
6. Proof of immigration medical exam 
   • A medical exam is required if you were outside of Canada in one or more of the designated countries in the last year for a minimum of six months, or you want to work in one of the listed occupations.
7. Family Information form (if requested in your document checklist)
   • Directly download the version given to you in your document checklist. Fill it out, print, and sign the form where required, then scan and upload it.
8. Schedule 1 (only if you answered the IMM5710 Background Information questions 3-6 with "yes")
9. Letter of explanation or any additional documents (if applicable)
10. Biometrics 

    • Biometrics collection is required for in-Canada temporary residence applications, if you have not completed biometrics in the past. 

    • If you have not provided biometrics before, you will need to select “no” when answering the questionnaire question regarding biometrics and pay the $85 biometrics fee. After submitting your application, you will receive a Biometrics Instruction Letter (BIL) in your online IRCC account with further information on how and where to provide your biometrics 

    • If you have provided biometrics to Canada in the past, use the check status tool to find out if your biometrics are still valid. 

    • NOTE: although biometrics are valid for 10 years, and although you had completed biometrics in the past, if the status tool indicates that your biometrics are NOT valid, we recommend that you still select “no” when answering the questionnaire question regarding biometrics and pay the $85 fee for biometrics and complete biometrics for your application. 

    • Your status documents will not be issued beyond a biometrics expiry date. If your biometrics are expiring in the near future, and the biometrics validity does not encompass the full duration of your temporary residence application, we recommend that you still pay for biometrics and complete biometrics for your application. 

    • Please book an appointment with us for assistance! 

Note: IRCC can ask for any other documents throughout the application process. Check your IRCC account regularly for requests. 

• If you want to apply for both a PGWP and temporary resident visa (TRV) from within Canada, the PGWP application is completed first, and the application for a TRV is submitted after the work permit is received. If you're from a visa-exempt country, a new eTA number would be issued with your work permit if needed. 
• Approved PGWPs are mailed to the Canadian mailing address that you provide in the application form. We'd recommend providing a mailing address that you'll be able to receive mail at for an additional six months after submitting the application. 
• You need to renew your Social Insurance Number after receiving a PGWP.
• We strongly recommend you have valid health insurance upon completion of your program. Review the criteria for extending your UHIP coverage while you are still in your last term or contact Student Financial Services directly to confirm your eligibility for an extension. You can contact a private health insurance provider to purchase coverage after your UHIP Coverage ends and prior to being eligible for the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). You won't be eligible for OHIP until you have received a PGWP and started working at a full-time job that is at least six months in length. The Government of Ontario states the documents that are required to apply for OHIP at a Service Ontario Centre. If you're going to be living in a different province, you should look at other provinces’ health insurance requirements.
• You can check the estimated application processing times on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.