Post-Graduation Work Permit in Canada for Filipinos

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If you are a Filipino who studies in a Canada school but are not inside or within the borders of Canada, here’s how you can apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) as an outside Canada Graduate:

1. You must apply for your PGWP up to 180 days of receiving any of the following:

• Degree or diploma

• Transcript of records

• Official letter of completion from your school

2. You must have been enrolled in a program that was in progress from March 2022 or started a program between spring 2022 and summer 2022.

An outside Canada Graduate is a person who has done their studies outside Canada via an online platform. This can be applied these days because of the global pandemic in which has halted travel, closed borders, and brought us into a "new normal”.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. An approved student permit or visa

2. A completed study program that is at least 8 months long and you get either a degree, diploma, or certificate when you finish the program

3. Maintained full-time status that does not include your final semester

   • if the student did stop or change status at any point because of the pandemic, then you can still be considered to apply for a PGWP

If you are currently staying in Canada and want to know how you can apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

1. Having a valid passport before, during, and after getting your PGWP is very important.

2. You must have maintained a full-time status as a student in Canada during every semester and this does not include your final semester which can be part-time or on leave if approved.

There is also a special exception because of the pandemic. If you are a student who decided to change to part-time status or stop studying between March 2020 – Fall Semester in 2020 because of the pandemic, you can apply for your PGWP.

3. Your institution shall also need to be either a public or private secondary institution, public post-secondary institution, or a Canadian private institution in which is authorized to award a degree, diploma, or certification by the province where you are taking up the course.

4. You would first need to count 180 days after you get either of the following to apply for your PGWP:

• Degree or diploma

• Transcript, or official letter from your school.

Once you receive any of these, you can apply just as long as your student permit/visa is still valid for the next 180 days.

An important reminder is to always make sure that your student permit or visa does not expire. If your visa expires, then this would mean that you would have to do the whole process again from the beginning after you get your papers processed.

If your student permit does expire, here is what you can do about it:

1. Apply for a visitor record stay in Canada (this allows you to stay longer in Canada)

2. Leave Canada and apply for your PGWP outside

3. Apply to restore your status as a student (which entails additional fees that need to be paid)

Experience the benefits of studying in Canada

Canada offers a lot of opportunities for international students during their studies and after graduation. With the right guidance, applying for your Post-Graduate Work Permit is not that difficult.

IDP can help you embark on this next chapter of your life for free. Book a consultation with our expert study abroad advisors today.