Study in Canada / Post-study work
Canada PGWP: Who Can Apply, How Long It Lasts, Language Rules
IRCC post-graduation work permit: eligible DLI, 8-month minimum, apply within 180 days, language from 1 Nov 2024. Confirm on Canada.ca. Not legal advice.
Updated 2026-08-27 · 1,320 words · Zinjet editorial
Quick Summary Matrix
| Rule | IRCC (retrieved 27 August 2026) |
|---|---|
| Not automatic | Graduating from a DLI does not by itself make you PGWP-eligible |
| Minimum programme | At least 8 months (or 900 hours for Quebec programmes) |
| Study load | Full-time each semester (part-time allowed in the final semester) |
| Apply by | 180 days from confirmation you completed the programme |
| Study permit | Must have been valid at some point in those 180 days |
| Already had a PGWP? | Not eligible again |
| Master’s (from 15 Feb 2024), ≥ 8 months | You can apply for 3 years even if the master’s was under 2 years (not certificates/diplomas) |
| Other programmes 8 months–under 2 years | Up to the same length as the programme |
| Other programmes 2 years or more | 3 years |
| Passport | Length is capped by passport expiry |
| Language from 1 Nov 2024 | Most applicants need results (see table below) |
Need the study permit first? Canada study permit. Cap context: 2026 cap.
Zinjet is not IRCC. Confirm on About the PGWP.
What a PGWP is
A post-graduation work permit is an IRCC work product after an eligible programme. It is not a study permit, not a job offer, and not permanent residence. PR pathways (Express Entry, provincial nominees) are separate and change — we will not invent CRS scores here.
On Zinjet programme cards we show PGWP listed only when the school listed it. Blanks stay blank.
Core eligibility (you need all of it)
IRCC general requirements include:
- completed a programme at a PGWP-eligible DLI at least 8 months long (or 900 hours in Quebec)
- full-time student status in Canada each semester (part-time allowed in the final semester)
- apply within 180 days of confirmation you completed the programme
- your study permit was valid at some point during those 180 days
You are not eligible if you:
- already received a PGWP
- studied English or French as a second language as the programme
- took general-interest courses
- completed a programme that is not PGWP-eligible, including most public-private curriculum licensing / P3 arrangements (IRCC lists exceptions — read the eligibility page, do not trust a brochure)
The DLI list has two questions
- Is the school a DLI? Required for the study permit.
- Is this programme PGWP-eligible? Required for the PGWP.
Both answers can be “no” independently. Check the DLI list for the PGWP column / footnotes, not only the school name.
How long it lasts
IRCC: length depends on the programme and passport expiry, whichever comes first. Renew the passport if you want the full length.
| Programme | PGWP length (IRCC) |
|---|---|
| Master’s (from 15 Feb 2024), programme ≥ 8 months | Apply for 3 years even if the master’s was under 2 years. Not for certificates or diplomas. |
| Other programmes 8 months–under 2 years | Up to the same length as the programme |
| Other programmes 2 years or more | 3 years |
If you completed more than one eligible programme of at least 8 months, IRCC may combine lengths. You still need to meet the higher language bar if the programmes differ.
Language and field of study (from 1 November 2024)
IRCC: most applicants now need language results.
| What you finished | Language | Field of study |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral | CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills | No field-of-study requirement |
| Other university programmes | CLB/NCLC 7 | Field-of-study rules if the study permit was applied for on/after 1 Nov 2024 |
| College / polytechnic / non-university | CLB/NCLC 5 | Field-of-study rules if the study permit was applied for on/after 1 Nov 2024 |
| Flight school | IRCC page: no language or field-of-study requirement, plus licence/instructor conditions | — |
If you submitted the PGWP application before 1 November 2024, IRCC says you do not need the new language requirement.
The test must still be a test IRCC accepts, within validity. We will not invent a “Zinjet accepted list” — use IRCC’s.
Timeline: 180 days is not a vibe
- School issues confirmation you completed (transcript, letter, or portal — whatever IRCC will recognise).
- Clock starts. 180 days.
- Your study permit must have been valid at some point inside that window (it does not have to be valid on the day you click submit, but you cannot have had a gap that kills this rule — read IRCC if your permit already expired).
- File the PGWP. Work conditions while you wait are on IRCC, not on this page.
Missing the 180 days is not something Zinjet can reopen.
Fees
IRCC publishes PGWP fees on its fee list, separate from the study-permit $CAN 150. We will not invent a PGWP dollar figure here. Open the live IRCC fee page when you apply.
Refusal and “I thought I was eligible” patterns
- School is a DLI; programme is not PGWP-eligible.
- Public-private (P3) curriculum the brochure called “university” — IRCC disagrees.
- ESL-only programme.
- Already used a PGWP after an earlier diploma.
- Part-time in a middle semester (not the final one).
- Language below CLB 7 / 5 for your credential type after 1 Nov 2024.
- Field-of-study miss for college intakes whose study permit was filed on/after 1 Nov 2024.
- 180-day clock expired while waiting for a “graduation photo.”
Real-world scenarios
One-year taught master’s, started 2025
From 15 Feb 2024, IRCC lets you apply for a 3-year PGWP if the master’s was at least 8 months. Language: CLB 7. No field-of-study bar for master’s. Passport must last.
Two-year public college diploma, study permit applied Nov 2024
CLB 5, and field-of-study rules. A 2-year programme can support a 3-year PGWP if IRCC’s “2 years or more” row applies. Confirm the hours/semesters with the college.
Second credential in Canada
If you already held a PGWP, IRCC says you are not eligible again. A second programme can still be worth it for skills — just do not sell it to yourself as a second open work permit.
Checklists
Before you enrol
- DLI list: school and programme PGWP-eligible
- Length ≥ 8 months
- You understand language + field-of-study rules for your credential
- You have not already had a PGWP
In the last semester
- Full-time until IRCC’s final-semester exception applies
- Passport valid far enough
- Language test booked if you need CLB 5 or 7
- Know how the school issues “completion” letters
When you apply
- Inside 180 days
- Study permit validity rule met
- IRCC fee page opened the same week
Field of study, in plain language
After 1 November 2024, many college / polytechnic / non-university and some other university programmes only support a PGWP if your occupation/field matches IRCC’s list and your study permit was applied for on or after that date. Bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD do not have that field test.
If you applied for the study permit before 1 Nov 2024, IRCC’s field rules for that later PGWP may not bite the same way — read the eligibility page for your dates. We will not collapse three IRCC footnotes into a slogan.
Print your study-permit application date. You will need it.
Combining two programmes
IRCC may combine two eligible programmes of at least 8 months. Example shape (not a promise): an 8-month graduate certificate plus a 1-year diploma is not automatically 3 years. Combination has rules, and you must meet the higher language level if they differ. If you already used a PGWP, combination will not create a second one.
Passport trap
A 3-year PGWP printed on a passport that expires in 11 months is an 11-month permit in practice. Renew the passport before you apply if you want the IRCC length.
How Zinjet fits
Browse Canada programmes. We do not invent PGWP ticks. Get started.
Jobs in Canada after a PGWP are a different product: Handmework.
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Does graduating from a DLI automatically give me a PGWP?
No. IRCC says graduating from a designated learning institution does not automatically make you eligible. Check the DLI list for programs that are PGWP-eligible.
How long is a PGWP?
IRCC ties length to the program and your passport expiry. Master’s degrees (as of 15 February 2024) may get 3 years if the program was at least 8 months. Other programs: up to the same length if 8 months–under 2 years, or 3 years if 2 years or more.
When must I apply?
IRCC says apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed the program, and your study permit must have been valid at some point during those 180 days.
Do I need a language test for PGWP?
IRCC says as of 1 November 2024 most PGWP applicants must give language results. Applications submitted before that date, and flight-school graduates, are exempt from the new requirements.
Can I get a second PGWP later?
IRCC says you are not eligible if you already received a PGWP. Plan the programme length before you enrol.
Do college and university language levels differ?
Yes. IRCC: bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral need CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills. College / polytechnic / non-university need CLB/NCLC 5, with field-of-study rules if the study permit was applied for on or after 1 November 2024.
What if my passport expires before the PGWP would?
IRCC says length depends on the program and passport expiry, whichever comes first. Keep the passport valid for the full period you want.
Not legal advice. Immigration rules change. Confirm every figure on the official government page before you submit. Official Canada student visa guidance