Missed Your PGWP? Complete Guide to Canada work permit options

While getting a Canadian degree can be a milestone in your life, missing out on the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) can lead to disappointment and long-term regret. In recent times PGWP approval numbers have been reduced, and also the eligibility has been made stricter. This has led to many PGWP rejections. Nevertheless, the positive news is that there are many alternative Canadian work permit options to continue to stay and work in Canada legally after your studies.

We at ImmiLaw Immigration will help you to understand Canadian immigration and PGWP alternatives for international students.

Start working before your work permit is approved

You can start working full-time before getting the work permit approved if you were able to apply for it before your study permit expired. To be eligible for work, you must be authorized to work off campus as a student, must have submitted the work permit application on time, and must have a valid temporary resident status in Canada.

Alternatives to Post-Graduation Work Permit Canada

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

In the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), your employer must get a positive or neutral Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). With the job offer and approved LMIA, you can apply for a work permit at IRCC through either the high-wage or low-wage stream of the TFWP. The high-wage and low-wage streams are determined by the median salary in your province or territory of employment.

Note:

• Processing of low-wage LMIA applications has been temporarily paused in some regions where the unemployment rate is 6% or more.
• Those who are in the tech field and specialized roles may be eligible for expedited LMIA-based work permit processing through the Global Talent Stream.

ImmiLaw Immigration will help you get a work permit through the TFWP program after checking your eligibility and other specifications.

International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits 

Through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program, citizens aged 18 to 30 or 35 from countries having a bilateral youth mobility agreement (bYMA) with Canada can apply for a work permit. Relevant IEC programs for newcomers include Working Holiday (Open work permit usually valid for 1-2 years; no job offer needed) and Young Professionals (employer-specific work permit; job offer required).

FTA-Based Work Permits

Individuals from countries with a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Canada can apply for LMIA-exempt work permits under the International Mobility Program (IMP). The eligibility for this is based on the agreement and the worker category, such as Intra-Company Transferees, Professionals, Traders and Investors. Further, certain FTAs also allow spouses or common-law partners to apply for open work permits.

LMIA-exempt, employer-specific work permit under the Innovation Stream

You can apply for an employer-specific work permit Canada LMIA-exempt, under the Innovation Stream if you have a job offer from a Global Hypergrowth Project participating company (which includes Ada Support Inc., AlayaCare, CellCarta, Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group, Clarius Mobile Health, Vive Crop Protection, Clio, and Lightspeed Commerce) and if you have a skilled occupation NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. Further, for Global Hypergrowth Project work permit if your job offer is for a TEER 0 or 1 occupation, then you can benefit from the faster processing.

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

After submitting the PR application, you can obtain a two-year employer-specific work permit through the Atlantic Immigration Program work permit if the following conditions are met:

• A designated employer from any of the Atlantic Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador) has given you a job offer.
• The province endorses your job offer.
• You receive a referral letter from the province.
• You meet the criteria for language proficiency, education, and work experience
  and, in some cases, settlement funds.

Spousal Open Work Permit

To be eligible for Canada spousal open work permit for spouses of international students:

• The student must be studying a master’s or doctoral program with a duration of 16 months or more.
• The student must be enrolled in professional degree programs such as medicine, dentistry, law, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, optometry, nursing, engineering, and education.

Note: There are specialized provincial programs that grant work permit eligibility for the spouses of students in healthcare and regulated professions.

Spousal open work permit for spouses of foreign workers:

Applicable if the worker has

• Applied for PR through an eligible economic class program or pilots, having a minimum 6-month valid work permit

            Economic class program or pilots:

1. Agri-Food Pilot
2. Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
3. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
4. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
5. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
6. Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP)
7. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP);
8. The caring for children class and the caring for people with high medical needs class
9. Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot – Direct to PR stream
10. Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program
11. Start-up business class
12. Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)
13. Holders of a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) who applied for permanent residence (PR) under:

           (a) Quebec Skilled Worker Class

           (b) Quebec Investor Program

• The applicant must have jobs in TEER 0 or 1 occupations, possess a minimum of 16 months of valid work authorization, and be living or planning to live in Canada.
• The applicant must have jobs in TEER 2 or 3 occupations, possess a minimum of 16 months of valid work authorization, and be living or planning to live in Canada.
• The applicant must have jobs in TEER 4 or 5 occupations with a minimum of 6 months of valid work authorization and is living or planning to live in Canada.
• Eligibility under the Free Trade Agreements.

To be eligible for a spousal open work permit of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

The spouse or common-law partner must have:

• Valid temporary resident status
• Same address as the Canadian partner
• Genuine relationship with the Canadian partner
• Submitted a PR application and received an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) from IRCC.

Even if you miss your PGWP, ImmiLaw Immigration, your trusted partner, can help you with your alternative work permit application. We will evaluate the student profile and find the ideal work permit pathways for international students Canada.

Read to know: 10 Tips for preparing your Canadian PR Application