Post-Graduation Work Permit

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.
  • NEW: Students who apply for a study permit after November 1, 2024, are only eligible for a PGWP if they’ve studied in an approved field of study.
• NEW:  Passed a language test 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), with two exceptions:
  • You studied part-time in your final academic session only.
  • You took a NAIT-approved Authorized Leave of Absence for 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 for visitor status before your study permit became invalid
  • Applied to restore your temporary resident status
  • Applied from outside of Canada

You can apply online for a PGWP from within Canada if your study permit is still valid.

• If your study permit will expire before you complete your program, you must apply to extend it.
• If you have completed your program and your study permit will no longer be valid when you apply for PGWP, and you wish to remain in Canada, you must apply for a visitor record before your study permit expires.

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. PGWP Completion Letter: can be found in your MyNAIT portal under e-letters.  Your PGWP Completion 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
• VIDEO: How to apply for a PGWP
• Tips for writing an Explanation Letter

If, after reading the guide and watching the video, you still have questions about applying for a PWGP, 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.

Please note that the validity period of the PGWP will not go beyond your passport’s validity date.

IRCC has announced the following changes to PGWP eligibility as of November 1, 2024.

• You must meet the new language requirement in order to apply for a PGWP.
• If you submit your study permit application on or after Nov. 1, 2024, you must also meet the field of study requirement.

Yes! To be eligible for an international application transfer, you must have applied to a program that is no longer PGWP-eligible before November 18, 2024.

• ​As of March 2025, the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program became PGWP-eligible for applicants that applied on or after Nov. 1, 2024. If you applied to NAIT, or transferred an application, prior to March 31, 2025 and would now like to transfer your application to the BBA, you may be eligible for an international application transfer.

Deadline to apply for international application transfer:

• Spring 2025: April 1, 2025
• Fall 2025: August 1, 2025
• Winter 2026: December 1, 2025

Please use the International Transfer Application Form (pdf) to request to transfer your current application to another program at NAIT. Before submitting the form, please:

• Review the International Applicant tab on the program page to ensure it is PGWP-eligible;
• Check to ensure you meet the admission requirements and program availability of the new program you’re interested.

Note: Submission of this form does NOT guarantee admission to the new requested program. NAIT will review and assess your application to determine eligibility – you’ll be notified via email regarding the status of your request.  

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

• If your study permit will expire before you will receive a PGWP letter, you must apply to extend it.
• If your study permit will expire after you receive a PGWP letter but before you will be able to apply for a PGWP, you must apply for a visitor record to remain in Canada.

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.