How to apply for an open work permit if you have a expired PGWP

Some current and previous Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders may be qualified for an 18-month Open Work Permit beginning April 6, 2023. It is possible to apply up until December 31, 2023. The advantage of receiving this Open Work Permit is that qualified persons can work in Canada for up to an additional 18 months in any profession and for any employer of their choice.

How to proceed if you are qualified for the streamlined extension

Recent letters from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada were issued to those who might be qualified for the streamlined process for extending their work permit.

Email addresses that end in @cic.gc.ca or @notifications.canada.ca are used to send messages. According to IRCC, these people must apply before their work visa expires and take action by May 20, 2023.

To qualify for the streamlined procedure, you must:

1. living in Canada
2. Access your secure IRCC account to 

• Make sure your mailing address is current.
• Verify that your passport’s expiration date is June 2025 or later, and that you have chosen to extend it for up to an extra 18 months.
• Before May 20, 2023, if you don’t already have one, you must create an IRCC Secure Account and attach your most recent PGWP application to it.

Regarding this renewal of the Open Work Permit

Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in March that IRCC would make a new Open Work Permit available to qualified previous and present PGWP holders.

A PGWP is often non-renewable, thus individuals who have one that is about to expire must either find another method to stay in Canada or depart completely. Fraser clarified that the goal of this unique public policy is to assist Canadian firms in addressing their historical labour shortages and to provide PGWP holders additional time to potentially make the transition to permanent residence. PGWPs enable qualified foreign graduates to continue working for up to three years after finishing their education in Canada. The overall duration of a PGWP is determined by how long the international graduate’s programme was when they graduated.

PGWPs are well-liked because they let foreign graduates improve their qualifications for Canadian permanent residence. Since Statistics Canada data demonstrates that having Canadian work experience supports labour market integration after obtaining permanent residency, many of Canada’s economic class immigration programmes reward applicants who have it. This explains why programmes like Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and other economic class pathways provide applicants with Canadian experience extra points and/or special streams.

In the previous academic year, Canada welcomed an all-time high of 800,000 foreign students. Roughly 98,000 PGWP holders made the switch to permanent residency in 2022, making up roughly 82% of all temporary residents who made the switch. Over 286,000 PGWP holders were registered in Canada as of the end of the previous year, the IRCC highlighted while announcing this special policy measure last month.

Approximately 67,000 PGWP holders have already applied for permanent residency, so they won’t need to submit an application for a new Open Work Permit through this special policy action when the department predicts that 127,000 PGWPs would expire in 2023.

Get your consultation today!