Post-Graduation Work Permit Application

As of June 21, 2024, applicants are no longer permitted to apply for PGWP at the Canada-US border through “flagpoling”. Applicants must apply for PGWP online. Please learn more on the IRCC website. 

On September 18, 2024, IRCC announced changes for temporary residents in Canada. These changes included new language proficiency requirements for post-graduation work permit applications as of November 1, 2024, and limiting work permit eligibility to spouses of workers in management or professional occupations or in sectors with labour shortages later this year. Refer to the Sepember 18, 2024 backgrounder and September 18, 2024 news release for more information.

Additional details on the new PGWP eligibility requirements were published on October 4, 2024. The instructions for the spousal open work permit program have not been updated yet. 

Apply to graduate. This will prompt the Office of the Registrar to do an initial audit of your degree to ensure you are on track based on your final course registrations and it will also prompt them to do the final audit after your final grades are submitted. 

If applying from within Canada, you must apply within 90 days of confirmation of program completion AND while your study permit is still valid. If your study permit is due to expire before the end of the 90-day PGWP application window, ensure you apply for PGWP prior to it's expiration date. You may be eligible to work after application submission while waiting on IRCC to process your PGWP application. You can refer to the eligibility requirements on the IRCC website. 

If applying for PGWP from outside Canada, you must apply within 180 days of confirmation of program completion.If you do not apply within the 180 day PGWP application window, you lose your eligibility for the program until you complete another eligible program. 

As long as you have applied to graduate, you will obtain your completion letter from Trent University in the month after your final term (May, September or January). Typically the 3rd week. 

Compete application form IMM5710 (Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker). Find more details on opening and completing the IMM5710 form below.

A letter of explanation is way to describe additional factors or include additional documents in your Canadian immigration applications. A letter of explanation is required to explain any gap in your studies, part-time studies, or anything unusual about your studies.

Upload your Letter of Explanation under 'Client Information' in the 'Optional Documents' section of your online document checklist on your IRCC Secure Account. 

Find a template Letter of Explanation here.

• $255.00CAD for application
• $85.00CAD biometrics fee, if applicable
• Additional fees for applications for dependent family members. 

Save the IMM5710 application form on your computer. To download the file, right-click on the link and select “Save as.”

After you download the form, open it using Adobe Acrobat Reader.

1. Open Acrobat Reader.
2. Select “File” from the top menu.
3. Click “Open.”
4. Find the location where you saved the form, click on the file, and click “Open.”

Find instructions on the IRCC website or watch this helpful video. 

• UCI: this is your unique client identifier and can be located near the top of your study permit. Type the numbers only and not the hyphens (-).
• I am applying for one or more of the following: Apply for a work permit for the first time or with a new employer
• Current country or territory of residence: Canada > student > to: initial study permit issue date > from: current study permit expiration date
• Designated Learning Institution Number (DLI#): Trent's DLI # is O19395164223. It starts with a O and not a zero. 
• Background information 2c): Answer yes to this. You have at least applied for your original study permit outside Canada and potentially a study permit extension and entry visa application. Summarize applications in box d. 

Once logged in, scroll to the section titled "start an application" and click "apply to come to Canada". You will be asked to enter a Personal Reference Code.  If you do not already have a code, go to the section, "I do not have a Personal Reference Code" and click on "visitor visa, study and/or work permit" > begin questionnaire to determine your eligibility. Answer the questions that follow truthfully. 

After answering questionnaire, you be provided with a list of applications you may be eligible to submit  > select post-graduation work permit in Canada > Click continue to complete the questionnaire to populate your student checklist. 

• What would you like to do in Canada? Work
• How long are you planning to stay in Canada? Temporarily – more than 6 months.
• Select the code that matches the one on your passport. Answer based on your circumstances. 
• What is your current country/territory of residence? If you are presently in Canada, you should select Canada.
• Do you have a family member or permanent resident that is 18 years or older? Answer according to your situation. Family member is defined as a spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, and their dependent children.
• What is your date of birth? Answer based on your circumstances. 
• Are you a lawful permanent resident of the United States with a valid alien registration card (Green Card)? Answer based on your circumstances. 
• What is your current immigration status in Canada? Student
• Do you plan to work on campus? No
• Are you a full-time student at a participating post-secondary institution and want to work off-campus up to 20 hours per week? No
• Have you recently graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution for which your study program was full-time and a minimum of eight months? Yes
• Is your work an essential part of your studies (for example, a Co-op or internship program)? No
• Have you been told by an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada office that you are approved in principle for permanent residence in Canada? “No” in most cases.
• Have you submitted a permanent resident application in Canada? No” in most cases.
• Do you have a written job offer? No
• What is your marital status? Answer based on your circumstances. 
• What is your province of destination? If visiting multiple provinces, select the one in which you will be spending most of your time Answer based on your circumstances.

1. The next button will appear below the fees once you have uploaded the mandatory files successfully.
2. Click next.
3. Click that you agree to share your information with IRCC
4. Type your full name (as stated on passport) as a digital signature
5. Complete the verification question.
6. Click transmit your documents to IRCC.
7. Then you will be asked to move onto the payment.

Once you have paid the fees, you will get confirmation of fees paid successfully. 

• Work permit fee: $255.00 CAD.
• Biometrics fee: $85.00 CAD if applicable

Applicants can work full-time until IRCC makes a decision on their work permit application if they:

• had a valid study permit when submitted PGWP application (note: study permit only remains valid for 90-days after program completion)
• completed their study program
• were eligible to work off campus without a work permit while studying and did not work more hours than permitted

If these conditions apply to you and you need to prove to an employer that you are permitted to work, provide the employer with a copy of all the required documents. If these conditions do not apply to you, you must wait until your work permit arrives to begin work. It’s illegal to work in Canada without authorization. If your application is refused you must stop working the day IRCC notifies you.

Find more information on the IRCC website.