Canada is offering an open work permit to PGWP holders
Eligible Post-Graduation Work Permit holders will be able to get an additional open work permit that can be valid for up to 18 months
PGWP is an open work permit, meaning you can use it to work for any employer, in any occupation in Canada. It is a one-time deal, and it cannot be renewed or extended.
However, if you do get it, you have the opportunity to work anywhere in Canada. Studies suggest that having both Canadian work and study experience can boost immigrants’ earning potential. For these reasons, the PGWP is a highly sought-after work permit, as it opens the doors to opportunities in Canada. April 22, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced a new temporary policy to allow international graduates to stay in Canada longer.
Starting this summer, international student graduates who have a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) that is expiring between January and December 2022 and who are in Canada will qualify for an additional open work permit for up to 18 months. Under normal circumstances, the PGWP is not extendable or renewable.
More details on the process will be made available in the coming weeks. This announcement comes as part of an effort to allow PGWP holders to stay in Canada longer, gain work experience, and have a better chance at permanent residency. Given that Express Entry draws for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates have been paused since September, a number of PGWP holders whose permits are expiring are being forced to either apply for a new work permit, quit their jobs, or leave the country.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), about 95,000 PGWP will expire in 2022, and an estimated 50,000 people may benefit from this measure.
The announcement comes at the same time as Fraser revealed a slew of measures in support of economic-class immigrants. Namely, Express Entry draws for skilled workers, such as CEC and Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates, will also resume in July.
Up until this year, Express Entry was a main way Canada welcomed economic-class immigrants.
Express Entry is an application management system for the following three immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). It also manages a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). It is a points-based system where eligible candidates get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for human capital factors such as their age, education, language skills, work experience, and more.CEC candidates tend to be international students who have graduated from a Canadian designated learning institution and who go on to obtain a Post-Graduation Work Permit. The PGWP is an open work permit that enables international graduates to get the one-year of Canadian work experience they often need to apply for permanent residence. Generally speaking, you can only get a PGWP once, meaning that if you are not able to submit a permanent residence application while holding the PGWP, you risk losing your work permit status unless you can find another work permit that you are eligible for.
IRCC has ramped up processing in recent months. In the first quarter of 2022, Canada has processed more than 100,000 work permit applications, doubling the number processed over the same period last year.
Last year, more than 157,000 former students became permanent residents, with more than 88,000 of them transitioning directly from a PGWP to permanent residency.
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