Some current and previous Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders may be qualified for an 18-month Open Work Permit beginning April 6, 2023.
More information on the same can be referred to IRCC’s Site
The application window will be open until December 31, 2023.
The advantage of receiving this Open Work Permit is that qualified persons can work in Canada for up to an additional 18 months in any profession and for any employer of their choice.
IRCC’s website notes that eligible candidates will be able to:
- opt into a simplified process to extend their work permit, or
- apply to extend their work permit, or
- apply to restore their status and get a new work permit
Even if a candidate is not eligible to opt in, they can still apply for a work permit.
What to do if you are eligible for the simplified extension?
Recent emails from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada were issued to those who might be qualified for the streamlined process for extending their work permit.
Email addresses that end in @cic.gc.ca or @notifications.canada.ca are used to send messages.
Those persons, according to IRCC, must apply before their work visa expires and take action by May 20, 2023.
To be eligible for the simplified process, you must:
1) Reside in Canada
2) Log into your IRCC Secure Account to:
- ensure that your mailing address is up to date
- confirm your passport information is up to date and has an expiration date of June 2025 or later, and
- opt in for up to an additional 18 months
Before May 20, 2023, if you don’t already have one, you must create an IRCC Secure Account and attach your most recent PGWP application to it.
About this Open Work Permit extension
Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in March that IRCC would make a new Open Work Permit available to qualified previous and present PGWP holders. Open Work Permit for expiring PGWP
A PGWP is often non-renewable, thus individuals who have one that is about to expire must either find another method to stay in Canada or depart completely.
Fraser clarified that the goal of this unique public policy is to assist Canadian firms in addressing their historical labour shortages and to provide PGWP holders additional time to potentially make the move to permanent residence.
PGWPs enable qualified foreign graduates to continue working for up to three years after finishing their education in Canada.
The overall duration of a PGWP is determined by how long the foreign graduate’s programme was when they graduated.
PGWPs are well-liked because they let foreign graduates improve their qualifications for Canadian permanent residence.
Since Statistics Canada data demonstrates that having Canadian job experience supports labour market integration after obtaining permanent residency, many of Canada’s economic class immigration programmes reward applicants who have it.
This explains why programmes like Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and other economic class pathways provide applicants with Canadian experience extra points and/or special streams. Open Work Permit for expiring PGWP
In the previous academic year, Canada welcomed an all-time high of 800,000 foreign students.
Over 98,000 PGWP holders made the switch to permanent residency in 2022, making up roughly 82% of all temporary residents who made the switch.
Almost 286,000 PGWP holders were registered in Canada as of the end of the previous year, the IRCC highlighted while announcing this special policy measure last month.
Approximately 67,000 PGWP holders have already applied for permanent residency, so they won’t need to submit an application for a new Open Work Permit through this special policy action when the department predicts that 127,000 PGWPs would expire in 2023.
