Expired PGWP holders can continue to work in Canada for extra 18 months

IRCC allows holders whose PGWP expired or will expire by end of 2022 will have the opportunity to work in Canada for extra 18 months.

Expired PGWP holders can continue to work in Canada for extra 18 months

Are you struggling to extend your Canadian Work Permit? You can now relax because on August 2nd, 2022, IRCC announced very good news for PGWP holders whose post-graduation work permits expired or will expire by end of 2022 will have the opportunity to work in Canada for extra 18 months by either extending their work permit or applying for a new one. Those currently in Canada will also have the ability to work in the interim period while their permit is being extended or a new one is being issued. This blog will answer your basic questions on how this new PGWP extension policy works.

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What is a PGWP?

PGWP stands for Post Graduate Work Permit. The PGWP allows international students who graduated from Canadian-recognized learning institutions to gain Canadian work experience for at least 1 year before applying for Canada PR. Many temporary residents rely on the Post-Graduate Work Permit to help them stay in Canada but with immigration slowing down over the past two years, this has made it difficult. A PGWP is not renewable or extended once it ends until now!

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What do you need to know if you have a PGWP?

This change was announced to be coming in April 2022 but was delayed due to technical issues. Now we have the instructions on how to apply for an open work permit or extend your status as a PGWP holder!

1. Who is eligible for the new PGWP policy?

Essentially, you qualify for the new work permit if:

• Your PGWP expires anywhere between Sept. 20, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2022.
• You’re part of the temporary resident to permanent resident (TR2PR) program but have not received your PR.
• You have a valid passport.
• You have temporary resident status.

Note: 

You can even apply for the open work permit and apply to restore your temporary resident status from outside of Canada if you’re eligible for the extension.

2. How long is the PGWP extension period?

The new permit will prolong your right to work in Canada, but how much time you’re given will depend on your situation:

If your PGWP is still valid: The extension is granted up to 18 months from the date your current PGWP expires or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

If your PGWP has expired: The extension comes into effect up to 18 months from the date your open work permit is approved, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Passport validity is important for this application, as it determines how much time you’re granted for the extension. The IRCC advises applicants to have passports that are valid for at least another 18 months before applying for the work permit.

3. How can I apply for the new open work permit or extend my PGWP?

The application is done online through IRCC’s portal. If you need to submit paper applications due to a disability or issues with the online system, click here to read more.

The steps you need to take to extend your application depend on your current status because not all eligible PGWP holders have to apply for the extension. Here are 5 PGWP statuses and the steps you need to take will vary according to this list:

PGWP expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, your address is updated, and your passport is valid through April 2024

You don’t need to do anything. IRCC will send your updated work permit to your mailing address by mid-October. If you receive an email from IRCC to confirm your mailing address, you don’t have to respond.

PGWP expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but you need to update your address and/or passport validity.

When you receive an email from IRCC to confirm your mailing address, follow the instructions given to make the changes.

If your passport validity is less than 18 months, you won’t receive this initial email from IRCC, but will get a separate one in September.

You’ll get instructions via email in September on how you can update your mailing address or passport validity in your online account. You have two weeks to make the changes, and once completed, your updated work permit will be mailed to your address by mid-November.

PGWP expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but you won’t be able to update your address or passport validity.

You’ll need to apply for the new Canadian work permit online. You could receive a work permit extended to your passport expiration date. You can also wait until you have a new passport with a longer validity period before applying for the permit.

PGWP expires from October 2, 2022, to December 31, 2022, but you haven’t been contacted by IRCC.

If you’ve not been contacted by mid-September, you’re not eligible for the extension through this process, for reasons such as additional information about your admissibility to Canada that is pending further review.

However, you may still apply to extend your work permit online.

PGWP expired or will expire from September 20, 2021, to October 1, 2022.

If you’re under this category, you’ll need to apply for your work permit online starting from August 2, 2022. If you’re in Canada and your temporary resident status has expired, you must apply to restore them at the same time. You’re permitted to restore your status, even if it has expired for more than 90 days.

You can apply for the work permit and temporary status in Canada if you’ve left the country, and return once they’re approved.

For details, visit IRCC’s website for guidance on your application process.

From Visitor Visa to PR Status in Canada 2022

If you have fallen in love with Canada and would like to immigrate, there are a few things that you can do while in Canada on a visitor visa. Besides qualifying for refugee status or being in a relationship with a partner that already has Canadian citizenship, you can become a permanent resident in Canada through a study pathway.

After completing studies in Canada, international students have many pathways to transition to Permanent Resident (PR) in Canada:

• Canadian Experience Class
• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Provincial Nominee Programs
• Quebec Immigration Options
• Post-Graduation Work Permits

Learn more about how to become a Permanent Resident in Canada through Study Pathway: click here

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How to change your Visitor Visa to Study Permit in Canada

Visitor Visa to Study/Work Permit in Canada

Tourists who want to enroll in a long-term educational program from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) Students who successfully complete their prerequisite program must then apply for a new study permit and demonstrate that they have met all of the admission requirements.

When it comes to study permit renewals and foreign nationals who are eligible to apply for a study permit from within Canada, the officer will issue a study permit (and, if applicable, a work permit) once they are satisfied that the applicant has met all eligibility and admissibility requirements.

At Admission Hub, we assist our clients in converting their visitor visas to a study permits valid for more than a year inside Canada!

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