---
title: "Canada Post-grad work permit requirements 2026: 3-year stay"
url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/pgwp/
lang: en
updated: 2026-10-10
---

Canada · Work

# Canada Post-grad work permit

**First stay:** 3 yrs

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

First checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/)

- **First stay:** 3 yrs (Programme under 2 years: up to the programme length (minimum programme 8 months); 2 years or more: up to 3 years; master's of at least 8 months: up to 3 years; limited by passport validity.)
- **Who can apply:** Any passport (No nationality restriction.)
- **Work:** Yes (Open work permit: any employer.)

## Key facts

Post-grad work permit is a work route for Canada. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.

- **Government fees:** CAD 155 ≈ $110 · CAD 100 ≈ $70
- **First stay:** 3 yrs

## Cost, time and long term

**Government fees: CAD 155 ≈ $110 · CAD 100 ≈ $70**

- CAD 155 (≈ $110) Work permit fee per person.
- CAD 100 (≈ $70) Open work permit holder fee.

**Renewal: Not renewable**

A PGWP is issued once for a length set by your programme and passport expiry; it can only be extended if your passport expires before the permit's full length.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/about.html)

**Citizenship: After 3 years as a permanent resident**

Each day as a temporary resident counts as half a day (maximum 365 days of credit), and you still need at least 730 days as a permanent resident within the 5 years before applying, for 1,095 days in total.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/eligibility.html)

## Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

- Can't be renewed
- Needs earlier residence or an existing status in Canada

### What you'll need

#### Who can apply

- The applicant completed a PGWP-eligible programme of at least 8 months (900 hours in Quebec).
- The applicant maintained full-time student status.
- Language: CLB/NCLC 7 for bachelor's, master's, doctoral and other university programmes; CLB/NCLC 5 for college and polytechnic programmes.
- A field-of-study requirement applies to non-degree programmes if the study permit application was submitted on or after Nov. 1, 2024.
- A graduate cannot hold a second PGWP after completing an earlier programme.

#### What you must show and pay

- **A fee of CAD 155 (≈ $110)** · Work permit fee per person.
- **A fee of CAD 100 (≈ $70)** · Open work permit holder fee.

#### Steps

1. Apply within 180 days of confirmation of completion.

## What happens at day 183

How Canada decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

- **Stay on this route:** **Up to 3 years in total**
- **Tax residence:** - **At least 183 days in a calendar year** Day count used in the CRA residency decision flow (page wording: fewer than 183 days versus more than 182 days throughout the year); significant ties and treaty residence are assessed together with it.
- **At least 183 days in a tax year** A person who sojourned in Canada in the year for 183 days or more is deemed resident for the whole year (Income Tax Act s.250(1)(a))
- **Foreign-source income:** Worldwide income for residents; Canadian-source income for non-residents

[All tax rules for Canada](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/tax/) Tax records checked 10 Oct 2026

**Full official text**

Open work permit for graduates of eligible Canadian designated learning institutions; length depends on the programme length and passport validity. (sources 1, 2, 3, 4)

#### What you must show and pay

- A fee of CAD 155 (≈ $110) · Work permit fee per person. (source 4)
- A fee of CAD 100 (≈ $70) · Open work permit holder fee. (source 4)

#### Requirements

- The applicant completed a PGWP-eligible programme of at least 8 months (900 hours in Quebec). (source 2)
- The applicant maintained full-time student status. (source 2)
- Language: CLB/NCLC 7 for bachelor's, master's, doctoral and other university programmes; CLB/NCLC 5 for college and polytechnic programmes. (sources 2, 1)
- A field-of-study requirement applies to non-degree programmes if the study permit application was submitted on or after Nov. 1, 2024. (sources 2, 1)
- A graduate cannot hold a second PGWP after completing an earlier programme. (source 1)
- Apply within 180 days of confirmation of completion. (source 2)

#### Stay

- Programme under 2 years: up to the programme length (minimum programme 8 months); 2 years or more: up to 3 years; master's of at least 8 months: up to 3 years; limited by passport validity.
- First stay: up to 36 months, decided case by case.
- Not renewable according to our source.

#### Nationality

No nationality restriction.

#### Work

Open work permit: any employer.

Checked 2026-10-10

## Official sources

1. [Post-graduation work permit: about](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/about.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-03-09
2. [Post-graduation work permit: who can apply](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-10
3. [Open work permits](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/open-work-permit.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-10
4. [Citizenship and immigration application fees: fee list](https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
5. [Apply for citizenship: who can apply (physical presence)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/eligibility.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11

## Post-grad work permit and its alternatives

| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Post-grad work permit | – | 3 yr | Yes |
| [Atlantic Immigration](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/atlantic-immigration-program/) | – | – | Limited |
| [BC PNP Skills Immigration](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/pnp-bc-skills-immigration/) | Needs income from CAD 26k a year ≈ $18k | – | – |
| [Employer work permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/work-permit/) | – | 3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| [Express Entry · Trades](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/express-entry-fst/) | Needs savings from CAD 15k ≈ $11k | – | – |

## Questions people ask

### How much money do I need for the Post-grad work permit?

A fee of CAD 155 (≈ $110). Work permit fee per person. A fee of CAD 100 (≈ $70). Open work permit holder fee.

### How long can I stay on the Post-grad work permit?

Programme under 2 years: up to the programme length (minimum programme 8 months); 2 years or more: up to 3 years; master's of at least 8 months: up to 3 years; limited by passport validity.

### Can I work on the Post-grad work permit?

Yes. Open work permit: any employer.

## More in Canada

[Working Holiday](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/iec-working-holiday/) [BC Entrepreneur · Base](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/pnp-bc-entrepreneur-base/) [BC Entrepreneur · Regional](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/pnp-bc-entrepreneur-regional/) [Express Entry · Skilled Worker](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/express-entry-pr/) [Global Talent Stream](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/global-talent-stream/) [Manitoba Skilled Worker](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/pnp-mpnp-skilled-worker/) [Provincial Nominee](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/provincial-nominee/) [Quebec skilled worker](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/pstq-quebec/)

## Work visas elsewhere

[🇲🇽 Job-offer residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/mexico/temporary-resident-job-offer/) [🇨🇴 Internationalisation visa M](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/colombia/m-fomento-internacionalizacion/) [🇨🇷 Scientist/professional permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/costa-rica/temporary-professionals-scientists/) [🇧🇷 Work visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/brazil/vitem-v-work/) [🇺🇸 Gold Card · Corporate $2M](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-states/gold-card-corporate/) [🇵🇦 Friendly Nations residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/panama/friendly-nations-permanent/)

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

## How this was checked

**Checked on 2026-10-10 against 5 official sources.** Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

1. [Post-graduation work permit: about](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/about.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-10
2. [Post-graduation work permit: who can apply](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-10
3. [Open work permits](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/open-work-permit.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-10
4. [Citizenship and immigration application fees: fee list](https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11
5. [Apply for citizenship: who can apply (physical presence)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/eligibility.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-11

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.