Post-Graduation Work Permit

If you applied for your study permit before November 1, 2024, there is no field of study requirement to be eligible for a PGWP.  

Further, if you apply for a study permit extension on or after November 1, 2024, to complete the same program of study as the study permit application made before November 1, 2024, then there is no field of study requirement to be eligible for a PGWP.

If you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024, you must meet the field of study requirement either when you applied for your study permit or when you apply for your PGWP. 

• NOTE: NAIT degree programs are exempt from the field of study requirement.

The following NAIT credit programs met IRCC’s eligibility requirements for a program of study between November 1, 2024, and June 24, 2025:

The following professional development certificate programs align with CIP codes that meet the field of study requirement. The final decision to grant a PGWP rests with IRCC. For more information, visit IRCC's website and be sure to review the IRCC guidelines to ensure you have the latest information.

If you applied for your current study permit before November 1, 2024, this field of study requirement is NOT applicable to you.

Additional programs may be included on this list in the future.

Yes. Eligible fields of study are linked to certain jobs in long-term shortage in Canada and can change based on the needs of the Canadian labour market. 

If you applied for a study permit on or after November 1, 2024, you’re only eligible for a PGWP if your program was in an approved field of study when you submitted your:

• Study permit application OR
• PGWP application

If your program is not in an approved field of study when you apply for a PGWP, it may still be eligible based on when you submitted your study permit application. As such, if you change NAIT programs, you may want to apply for a new study permit so there is a record that you meet the field of study requirement.

IRCC has clarified how applying to extend your study permit may impact your eligibility for a PGWP:

• If you apply for a study permit extension on or after November 1, 2024, to complete the same program of study as the study permit application made before November 1, 2024, then your program of study does not need to meet the field of study requirement. 
• If you apply for a study permit extension on or after November 1, 2024, to complete a different program of study than the study permit application made before November 1, 2024, then your study permit extension application must meet the field of study requirements to be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

To be eligible for a PGWP, you must have:

• Completed a program of study that lasted at least eight months and led to a certificate, diploma or degree.
  • Students who applied for a study permit on or after November 1, 2024, are only eligible for a PGWP if they’ve studied in an approved field of study.
    • The program must be in an approved field of study when you submit your:
      • Study permit application OR
      • PGWP application
    • If your program is not in an approved field of study when you apply for a PGWP, it may still be eligible based on when you submitted your study permit application.

• Received the required language test results within 2 years of when you submit your PGWP application.
• Studied full-time in your first semester and each following Fall and Winter semester (excludes scheduled breaks). Two exceptions to this rule are allowed:
  • You may have studied part-time in your final academic session only.
  • You may have taken a NAIT-approved Authorized Leave of Absence of less than 150 days.
• Enrolled in in-person classes (when offered).
  • NOTE: beginning September 1, 2024, you should take at least 50% of your program in-class, not through distance/online learning.
  • NAIT programs that accept international students and are delivered through Hybrid format allow students to complete more than 50% of the program in-person.
• Applied within 90 days after your Letter of Completion first becomes available AND have a valid study permit at the time of application, OR
• Applied within 180 days after your Letter of Completion first becomes available, AND have previously held a valid study permit, and one of the following:
  • Applied to restore your temporary resident status
  • Applied from outside of Canada

Review the eligibility requirements for a PGWP by watching our Before You Apply for a PGWP video.

If you complete a certificate or diploma program, you must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 5 in English or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 5 in French in all 4 language areas. 

If you complete a degree program, you must prove your English or French language skills with a minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 in English or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French in all 4 language areas. 

Discover the language test scores that meet this requirement here.

No.  You don’t need to meet the field of study requirement if you graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

You MUST have a valid temporary status as a student to apply for a PGWP from within Canada. 

• If your study permit will expire before you will receive a Completion of Studies letter, you must apply to extend it.
• If your study permit will expire after you receive a Completion of Studies Letter but before you apply for a PGWP, you may:
  • Leave Canada to apply for a PGWP from outside Canada.
  • Apply for a visitor record to remain in Canada and apply for a PGWP electronically from "outside" Canada while you physically reside in Canada; please note that in this case, if your PGWP application is approved, you will have to leave Canada and re-enter to get the PGWP.

If you applied to extend your study permit before your previous one expired, you have maintained status and are allowed to stay in Canada. However, IRCC has stated that you are no longer eligible to apply for a PGWP from within Canada.

Your options are outlined below:

• Wait for the study permit extension application to be processed and then apply for a PGWP from within Canada
  • NOTE:  there is no way to know when the new study permit will expire.
  • Remember that you must apply for a PGWP within a certain timeframe of having completed your program.
  • You cannot work until you receive the new study permit and apply for a PGWP.
• Apply for a PGWP electronically from ‘outside’ Canada while you physically reside in Canada
  • When completing the eligibility questionnaire, state that you are residing abroad, but fill in your Canadian address truthfully when you complete the IMM1295 form.
  • If your PGWP application is approved, you will need to travel outside of Canada and re-enter to obtain your PGWP at the border.
  • You cannot work until you receive the PGWP.
• Leave Canada and apply for your PGWP from overseas
  • You must have held a valid study permit within 180 days of your PGWP application.
  • You have 180 days from program completion to submit a PGWP from outside of Canada.
  • You cannot return to Canada until your PGWP application is approved.

If you are in Canada and your program offers face-to-face classes, IRCC recommends that you study in-person to protect your future PGWP eligibility.  As such, ensure you enrol as early as possible to secure your seat in in-person classes.

If your program only offers online classes, take and save a screenshot of the NAIT Portal as proof that the class was offered online only.

NOTE: beginning September 1, 2024, you must take at least 50% of your program in-class, not through distance/online learning, to be eligible for a PGWP.

Yes, NAIT credit, diploma, and degree programs that accept international students and have a Hybrid delivery mode offer more than 50% of their classes in-person which makes you PGWP eligible. 

It is your responsibility to ensure you or your program are enrolling in at least 50% of your classes in-person to maintain your personal eligibility for a PGWP.

You can apply online for a PGWP from within Canada if your study permit is still valid. Review the steps to apply online here.

Your PGWP application will require the following NAIT documents:

1. Final transcript (unofficial or official): the transcript can be obtained from your MyNAIT portal.
2. Completion of Studies Letter: can be found in your MyNAIT portal under e-letters. Your Completion of Studies Letter will list your program's CIP code to help support your PGWP application to IRCC. View an example of a completion letter. If you finish your program in:
   • April – you will receive a PGWP letter in mid-May.
   • August – you will receive a PGWP letter in mid-September.
   • December – you will receive a PGWP letter in mid-January.

To help you apply for your PGWP, check out the following resources:

• PGWP application guide
• Tips for writing an Explanation Letter
• VIDEO: Before You Apply for PGWP
• VIDEO: Your PGWP Document Checklist
• VIDEO: PGWP & Working Permissions
• PGWP Online Information Sessions

If, after reading the guide and watching the videos, you still have questions about applying for a PGWP, you can book an appointment with an International Academic Advisor.

You can apply for a PGWP as soon as you receive written confirmation of graduation. At NAIT, confirmation of graduation is called a PGWP letter, also known as a Completion of Studies letter.  This e-letter will be uploaded to your MyNAIT Portal according to the following timelines:

If you finish your program in:

• April – you will receive a PGWP letter in mid-May.
• August – you will receive a PGWP letter in mid-September.
• December – you will receive a PGWP letter in mid-January.

Once you receive your PGWP letter, if you are in Canada, you have 90 days to apply for your PGWP (or until your study permit expires, whichever date is first).  If you are outside of Canada when you apply for a PGWP, you have 180 days to submit the application.

NOTE:  the date of your graduation ceremony does not affect the PGWP application period. You do not need to wait for a job offer to apply for a PGWP.

The length of the PGWP for which you may be eligible depends on the length of the program that you complete.

A PGWP will not be issued past the expiry date of your passport.  If the length of your PGWP is shorter than it should be because of an early passport expiry date, IRCC will put a note on your PGWP, stating that you can extend it to get the full validity.  If this happens, you must apply on paper to extend your PGWP.

Review your working permissions by watching our PGWP & Working Permissions video.

The PGWP program allows most international students who have graduated from an eligible program at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) to gain valuable Canadian work experience.

There are a number of immigration programs available for international students to apply for permanent residence (PR). You can review different PR options here.

NAIT International Academic Advisors do not advise on PR.  However, you can attend an information session to learn about PR options. Please monitor here for those offerings.