Your degree earned it. Don’t lose it to a deadline.
The PGWP is the bridge from student to permanent resident — and it’s once in a lifetime. You have 180 days from your completion letter to apply, and the 2024–26 rule changes catch graduates out every week. Check where you stand in under a minute.
Will your program qualify?
Since 2024 there are two gates: a language test for every applicant, and a field-of-study requirement for non-degree programs. Answer four questions to see where you stand.
Your program
Four quick questions.
How long will your PGWP last?
Your permit generally mirrors your program length — with a three-year ceiling, a special rule for shorter master’s programs, and a hard cap at your passport expiry.
Estimate your permit
Based on your program.
Is your field on the eligible list?
This applies to non-degree programs only — college diplomas and certificates where the study permit was applied for on or after November 1, 2024. Degree graduates are exempt. The list is frozen for all of 2026.
From completion letter to work permit.
Four moments that decide whether your PGWP goes smoothly — or not at all.
1. Completion letter
Your school confirms in writing that you finished. This date starts your 180-day clock — not convocation.
2. Language test
Book early. Results must be under 2 years old at the time you apply, and seats fill up fast.
3. Apply in time
File within 180 days, while your status still supports it. Applying before your study permit expires protects your ability to work.
4. Work & plan PR
Your PGWP is the runway for Express Entry or a PNP. The experience you gain now is what counts later.
How long the PGWP takes.
Times move with IRCC inventory, so this page checks for the latest figure automatically and always links you to the official tool.
PGWP processing changes regularly. Use the official IRCC tool for today’s estimate.
Check the official IRCC toolWhile you wait
You may be able to work full-time
Graduates who apply before their study permit expires and meet the conditions can generally work while a decision is pending. Confirm your situation first — working without authorization is serious.
Keep your status valid
Your ability to remain in Canada depends on applying on time. Late applications can force restoration — or end the option entirely.
Don’t rely on flagpoling
Flagpoling at a port of entry is no longer available for most work permit applications. Plan an inland application instead.
Why PGWPs get refused.
Almost none of these are about eligibility. They’re about timing and paperwork — which is exactly what we control.
Missing the 180-day window
Graduates count from convocation instead of the completion letter and lose weeks they didn’t have. There is no second PGWP.
Language test booked too late
Test seats and result turnaround can take weeks. A late test can push you past your deadline even when you qualify.
Wrong assumption on field of study
Non-degree graduates assume their program qualifies because it sounds close to an eligible field. Eligibility follows the program code, not the name.
An ineligible institution
Some private and partnership programs never lead to a PGWP. It has to be checked before enrolment — not after graduation.
Incomplete proof of completion
Transcripts and completion letters that don’t line up with your permit history invite questions — and delays you can’t afford.
A passport expiring soon
A permit can’t outlast your passport. Renew first, or you may lose a year or more of work eligibility.
One permit, one chance.
Your PGWP cannot be re-applied for and the deadline does not move. Have it checked before you file — the review costs far less than a missed window.
Questions about the PGWP?
Deadlines, language scores, field-of-study rules, fees and processing — every common question answered and kept current in one place.