Canada’s immigration department called, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) publicized several announcements on December 7 concerning Canada’s international students program. Among them, one notable announcement concerned the extension of Post-Graduation Work Permits. IRCC has confirmed that there will be no additional extensions to PGWPs. So, the PGWP holders might want to explore available pathways for expiring PGWP. 

Post Graduation Work Permit and its extension.

 A PGWP permits international students to live and work in Canada after completing their graduation.

 Typically, a PGWP has a maximum validity period of three years, based on the length of the academic program of candidates. Notably, other than the special extension, it cannot be renewed.

This decision to not extend the PGWP further arrived as the department has already offered PGWP extensions thrice over recent years. 

The department implemented the measures in response to the labor market disruptions induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and during post-pandemic recovery. This enabled PGWP holders to continue to stay and work in Canada while IRCC experienced processing delays and stopped holding Express Entry draws.

 The last PGWP extension occurred on April 6 for holders whose permits will expire on or before December 31, 2023. The extension is an open work permit with a validity period of 18 months. 

According to IRCC, PGWP holders whose work permit is scheduled to expire on or before December 31 are still eligible for the permit extension.

A report suggests that in 2022, a total of 98,000 PGWP holders gain Canadian permanent resident status. This was nearly 82% of all TRs who became PR in the same year.

Additionally, at the time of the release of the 2022 report, the immigration department anticipated that around 268,000 PGWP holders would be in Canada in 2023. Also, around 127,000 PGWPs would expire.

What effect does the expiration of PGWPs have on Express Entry candidates?

Canada’s Express Entry pathway is a significant and popular choice for PGWP holders who intend to gain Canadian permanent residency. Many of the PGWP holders may be concerned about the end of extensions as their PGWP expiry date approaches. Also, individuals who have not obtained an invitation to Apply (ITA) under Express Entry and who have an expiring PGWP may possibly become ineligible to live and work in Canada.

The recent pause in the Express Entry draws between October 26 and December 6 also creates tension among PGWP holders in the Express Entry Pool. This is because they may not be able to apply for permanent residence without an ITA. Or they could not maintain their status in Canada while IRCC processes their application.

The reason for the pause in the draw remains unexplained. IRCC department held three express entry draws between December 6 and December 8. However, the two draws among them were the Category-based draws. One was for 1000 candidates with French language proficiency, and the other was for 5,900 candidates with work experience in STEM occupations.

 IRCC did hold an all-program draw on December 6. In this draw, 4,750 candidates received ITA, and the minimum required CRS score was 561. Notably, this score was higher than all the recent all-program draws.

Available Pathways for Expiring PGWP 

Candidates in the Express Entry Pool have available pathways for expiring PGWP to extend their stay in Canada while awaiting a final decision on their application from IRCC.

However, they may still oblige a candidate to discontinue working in Canada while they await receiving an ITA and waiting for the department to process their application.

Apply for a Visitor Record

According to IRCC, a visitor record allows individuals to stay in Canada for six months, but the time may vary per the candidates’ situation.

If express entry candidates apply for a visit record at least about a month ago or 30 days before their PGWP expires, they may stay in Canada.

Get a New Work Permit

While awaiting an Express Entry draw, Candidates can apply for a new work permit if they intend to extend their stay in Canada.

There are various types of Open Work Permits in Canada that candidates can explore if they want to continue working in the country. Please note that it’s a time-consuming process and may require additional fees.

Alternatively, Candidates may also request their employers to acquire a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This may help them gain a closed work permit.

This implies that a closed work permit allows the holders to continue working in Canada even if they aren’t allowed to work for another Canadian employer.

Apply for a BOWP if you’ve already applied for a PR

These available pathways for expiring PGWP are valid for individuals who have already applied for a Canadian Permanent residence but haven’t acquired a final decision from IRCC. This means eligible individuals can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).

A BOWP lets a PR candidate remain in Canada and continue working while awaiting the last decision of IRCC. Typically, a BOWP is available for candidates who have submitted applications via one of the following programs. These include Express Entry, Quebec Skilled Workers, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and the Agri-Food Pilot Program.

So, this was about the Post Graduation Work Permit and the available pathways for expiring PGWP to expand your stay in Canada and continue working there.