Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced a new policy that allows former international students with an expired or expiring Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) to apply for another Open Work Permit.
Under normal circumstances, international students who have studied in Canada for at least 8 months can apply for a PGWP. The PGWP is an open work permit that is issued to an individual only once in their lifetime; it cannot be renewed and you can not re-apply for a PGWP once you have had one.
With the policy, IRCC acknowledges that the pandemic has caused many challenges for international student graduates with respect to finding employment during their PGWP.
Foreign nationals in Canada affected by the pandemic with an expired or expiring PGWP will have a unique chance to apply for another open work permit. The new open work permit will be valid for 18 months and allow former international students to remain in Canada and continue to seek employment.
Can I apply for another Post-Graduate Work Permit?
This policy allows former international students to apply for a new open work permit. Technically, this is not a second PGWP (PGWPs are open work permits, but not all open work permits are PGWPs), rather it is a new work permit classified as not employer-specific.
To apply for an open work permit under the public policy, an applicant must:
have a PGWP that expired on or after January 30, 2020, or a PGWP that expires in 4 months or less from the date they apply
still be in Canada
have a valid temporary status, or be applying to restore their status
Applications will be open from January 27 to July 27, 2021.
“Whether as nurses on the pandemic’s front lines, or as founders of some of the most promising start-ups, international students are giving back to communities across Canada as we continue the fight against the pandemic. Their status may be temporary, but the contributions of international students are lasting. This new policy means that young students from abroad who have studied here can stay and find work, while ensuring that Canada meets the urgent needs of our economy for today and tomorrow. Our message to international students and graduates is simple: we don’t just want you to study here, we want you to stay here.”
—The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
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Calver and Associates is a leading provider of Canadian Immigration services in Durham Region. We serve clients in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, and beyond. Our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant has over 10 years of experience in Canadian Immigration law and over four years of experience serving those in the Oshawa area.
We can provide assistance with applications for both temporary and permanent residency in Canada. We handle applications for study permits, permanent residency, family class sponsorship, visitor visas, work permits, and Canadian citizenship. We also handle criminal inadmissibility cases by developing remedies for refusal.
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