PGWP requirements 2026: check yours in two minutes
A post-graduation work permit (PGWP) needs six things: an eligible program of at least 8 months, full-time study, a language result, an eligible field of study if your program is not a degree, an application inside the 180-day window and no earlier PGWP. The free PGWP checker below tests your answers against each rule, shows your likely permit length and works out your last day to apply.
Your answers stay in your browser unless you choose to email yourself the result or send us a message.
General information, not legal advice and not a decision about whether you qualify for a PGWP. The result follows IRCC's published rules as we read them on October 12, 2026; they change, and only IRCC decides an application. It does not cover Quebec vocational programs measured in hours, programs stacked within two years or the COVID-19 special measures. Wild Mountain Immigration is a CICC-regulated consultancy and is not affiliated with the Government of Canada.
Key takeaways
A PGWP needs a program of at least 8 months at a PGWP-eligible school, full-time study, a language result (CLB or NCLC 7 for degrees, 5 for college programs), an eligible field of study for non-degree programs, and an application within 180 days of completing the program. The permit lasts up to 3 years and costs $255. Every rule on this page was read from IRCC's own pages on October 12, 2026.
- Program: it must be at least 8 months long, at a school IRCC marks as offering PGWP-eligible programs, with most of it in person in Canada.
- Language: CLB or NCLC 7 in all four abilities for degrees and university non-degree programs, and 5 for other college programs, on a test less than 2 years old.
- Field of study: non-degree programs need a CIP code on IRCC's list if the study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024, and IRCC will not change the list in 2026.
- Deadline: apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed the program, ideally while your study permit is still valid.
- Length and fee: up to the program length for programs under 2 years, up to 3 years otherwise, never past your passport's expiry, for a $255 fee.
PGWP requirements, rule by rule
Each row below is one rule from IRCC's PGWP pages, with the date IRCC shows on the page it comes from. We read every page on October 12, 2026. You must meet all of them together. Once issued, the PGWP is an open work permit, so it is not tied to one employer.
| Rule | What IRCC says | IRCC page and date shown |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible school and program | You completed a program at a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI). Graduating from a DLI does not by itself make you eligible. | Who can apply, June 24, 2026; About the PGWP, March 9, 2026 |
| Program length | The program was at least 8 months long (900 hours for Quebec programs). If you transferred from a school that is not a DLI, only the time at the DLI counts, and it must be at least 8 months. | Who can apply, June 24, 2026 |
| Full-time study | You maintained full-time student status in Canada during each semester. You may study part-time in your final semester. | Who can apply, June 24, 2026 |
| Mostly in person | A program completed more than 50% by distance learning is not eligible, and time studying online from outside Canada after August 31, 2024 does not count toward the length of the permit. | Who can apply, June 24, 2026; program instructions, December 11, 2025 |
| 180-day window | You apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed the program, and your study permit was valid at some point during those 180 days. | Who can apply, June 24, 2026 |
| Language | Since November 1, 2024: CLB or NCLC 7 in all four abilities for degrees and university non-degree programs, CLB or NCLC 5 for other college and non-university programs. Flight school graduates are exempt. | Who can apply, June 24, 2026; program instructions, December 11, 2025 |
| Field of study | Non-degree programs must be in an eligible field if the study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024. Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees and flight school are exempt. | Field of study requirement, March 9, 2026 |
| No earlier PGWP | You are not eligible if you already received a PGWP, including after an earlier program of study. | Who can apply, June 24, 2026 |
| Where you apply from | You can apply from within Canada or from another country as long as you are eligible. IRCC no longer processes PGWP applications at a port of entry (since June 21, 2024). | How to apply, August 28, 2026; program instructions, December 11, 2025 |
| Fee | $255: the $155 work permit fee plus the $100 open work permit holder fee. Biometrics are $85 per person, and restoring student status is $246.25 more. | Fee list, September 21, 2026; PGWP overview, March 9, 2026 |
Which date decides the PGWP language and field-of-study rules?
Two different dates. The language rule follows your PGWP application date: applied on or after November 1, 2024, you need CLB 7 or 5. The field-of-study rule follows your study permit application date, on or after November 1, 2024 (IRCC, who can apply, updated June 24, 2026).
What some answers get wrong
Wrong: “If you applied for your study permit before November 1, 2024, you are exempt from the language rule.” The study permit date does not decide the language rule.
Right (IRCC, June 24, 2026): only a PGWP application submitted before November 1, 2024 is exempt from the language rule, so anyone applying for a PGWP now needs a result, whenever they applied for their study permit (flight school graduates aside). A study permit application submitted before November 1, 2024 exempts you from the field-of-study rule only. Degree and flight school graduates have no field-of-study rule at all.
Which language and field-of-study rules apply to your credential?
Your credential decides both the language level and whether the field-of-study rule applies. A degree from a college counts as a degree: since March 11, 2025 IRCC holds non-university degree graduates to the same language level as university graduates (IRCC program instructions, December 11, 2025).
| What you graduated with | Language minimum, all four abilities | Field-of-study rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree | CLB or NCLC 7 | Does not apply |
| University program that is not a degree | CLB or NCLC 7 | Applies if you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024 |
| College, polytechnic or other non-university program that is not a degree | CLB or NCLC 5 | Applies if you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024 |
| PGWP-eligible flight school | No requirement | Does not apply |
PGWP CLB requirements: the score you need on each test
IRCC converts each accepted test to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) for English or a Niveau de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) for French, and every one of the four abilities must reach the level. The table gives the lowest score that reaches CLB or NCLC 5 and 7 on each test, in the order reading, writing, listening, speaking (IRCC, page dated May 27, 2026).
| Test | Minimum for CLB or NCLC 5 | Minimum for CLB or NCLC 7 |
|---|---|---|
| CELPIP-General | 5 in each ability | 7 in each ability |
| IELTS General Training | 4.0, 5.0, 5.0, 5.0 | 6.0 in each ability |
| PTE Core | 42, 51, 39, 51 | 60, 69, 60, 68 |
| TEF Canada (taken after December 10, 2023) | 352, 330, 352, 387 | 434, 428, 434, 456 |
| TCF Canada | 375, 6, 369, 6 | 453, 10, 458, 10 |
The test must be one IRCC accepts, taken within the 2 years before you submit the application. IRCC recommends the CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core option and taking the test in person. Use our CLB calculator to convert your own scores.
Is your field of study on IRCC's list?
A non-degree program needs a 6-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code on IRCC's list of fields linked to occupations in long-term shortage. IRCC's list was last updated on July 4, 2025, holds 1,096 distinct codes as we read it on October 12, 2026, and IRCC says it will add or remove no fields in 2026 (IRCC, page dated March 9, 2026). The checker above searches the full list by code or by keyword.
| Field-of-study category | Entries on IRCC's list |
|---|---|
| Agriculture and agri-food | 43 |
| Education | 69 |
| Health care and social services | 594 |
| Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) | 314 |
| Trade | 66 |
| Transport | 21 |
| All categories | 1,107 entries, 1,096 distinct codes |
Which version of the list counts
How long is a PGWP?
The length of a PGWP depends on the level and duration of your program and on your passport's expiry date, whichever comes first (IRCC, page dated March 9, 2026). A permit cannot run past the day your passport expires, and IRCC allows an extension only when the passport limited the first permit.
| Your program | PGWP length IRCC may give |
|---|---|
| Under 8 months | No PGWP: the minimum program length is 8 months |
| 8 months or longer, under 2 years | Up to the length of the program |
| 2 years or longer | Up to 3 years |
| Degree-granting master's of 8 months or longer, even under 2 years | Up to 3 years (not for certificates or diplomas) |
| More than one eligible program of 8 months or longer, completed within 2 years of each other | Up to the combined length, if you meet the requirements for each program |
When and where to apply
The 180-day clock starts on the earliest of the day your final marks were issued, the day you got formal written notice that you completed the program, or the day your credential was issued (IRCC program instructions, December 11, 2025). Three situations decide what you can do while IRCC processes the application.
- Study permit still valid: apply from inside Canada and you can work full-time until IRCC decides, if you completed your program, were eligible to work off campus and did not work more hours than you were allowed (IRCC, April 24, 2026).
- Study permit expired: you have up to 90 days after it expired to apply and restore your student status from inside Canada, you cannot work until the PGWP is approved, and after 90 days you must leave Canada (IRCC, August 28, 2026).
- Waiting for your marks: if your study permit will expire first, IRCC says to apply for a visitor record to stay longer, or leave Canada and apply for the PGWP (IRCC, June 24, 2026).
- Applying from outside Canada: allowed if you are eligible, including after leaving Canada once your program is complete, but IRCC no longer processes PGWP applications at a port of entry (IRCC, December 11, 2025).
Our permit expiry planner turns your study permit expiry and completion dates into a dated plan, and our guide to maintained status explains what keeps you in status while you wait.
What changed, and when
Most of the changes that matter now date from 2024 and 2025, and IRCC has frozen the field-of-study list for 2026. The table lists each change with the people it affects.
| Date | Change | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| February 1, 2023 | Programs a private college delivers for a public college in another province under a curriculum licensing agreement are not eligible if they began on or after this date | Students at licensed private colleges |
| February 15, 2024 | Applications received on or after this date can earn a 3-year PGWP for a degree-granting master's of at least 8 months, even under 2 years | Master's graduates |
| May 15, 2024 | Programs a private college delivers for a public college in the same province under a curriculum licensing agreement are not eligible if they began after this date | Students at licensed private colleges |
| June 21, 2024 | IRCC stopped processing PGWP applications made at a port of entry | Anyone applying from outside Canada |
| August 31, 2024 | The temporary policy that let in-Canada students count online study ended | Students who studied online in Canada |
| November 1, 2024 | Language results became required for PGWP applications, and the field-of-study requirement began for study permit applications on or after this date | All applicants (language); non-degree graduates (field of study) |
| March 11, 2025 | Non-university degree graduates must meet the same language level as university graduates (CLB or NCLC 7) | College bachelor's, master's and doctoral graduates |
| June 25 and July 4, 2025 | IRCC updated the field-of-study list, then added back the fields it had removed on June 25 | Non-degree graduates |
| 2026 | IRCC will add or remove no fields of study during the year | Non-degree graduates |
From PGWP to permanent residence
The Canadian Experience Class asks for at least 1 year, or 1,560 hours, of paid Canadian work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs in the 3 years before you apply, done while authorized to work (IRCC, checked October 12, 2026). Work you did while studying full-time does not count, so the clock on PGWP work starts when your studies end. Estimate where you stand with our CRS calculator and CEC calculator, and read the study-to-PR roadmap for the wider sequence.
IRCC extends a PGWP only when the passport limited its length, so plan the next status before it ends: our PGWP extension guide sets out the options when a PGWP is expiring, including the bridging open work permit. IRCC says your spouse or common-law partner may qualify for an open work permit once your PGWP is approved.
How Wild Mountain Immigration helps with a PGWP
Wild Mountain Immigration is a CICC-regulated consultancy (RCIC #R706497) that works with students and graduates online, by video call and secure document sharing. We read your completion letter, transcript and test results against the rules above, plan your language test and application around the 180-day deadline, and line up your next status before the permit ends. We never guarantee an outcome: only IRCC decides.
Frequently asked questions
What are the PGWP requirements in 2026?
To get a PGWP you must have completed a program of at least 8 months at a PGWP-eligible school, studied full-time, applied within 180 days of completing it, met the language rule (CLB or NCLC 7 for degrees, 5 for college programs) and, for non-degree programs, the field-of-study rule (IRCC, checked October 12, 2026). You also cannot have held a PGWP before.
How long is a PGWP?
A PGWP may be valid for up to the length of your program if it was at least 8 months but under 2 years, and for up to 3 years if it was 2 years or longer, but never past your passport's expiry date (IRCC, checked October 12, 2026). A degree-granting master's program of at least 8 months can also earn up to 3 years.
What language level do I need for a PGWP?
You need CLB (English) or NCLC (French) 7 in all four abilities if you graduated with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree or from a university program that is not a degree, and CLB or NCLC 5 if you graduated from any other college or non-university program (IRCC, checked October 12, 2026). The test result must be less than 2 years old when you apply.
Which language tests does IRCC accept for a PGWP?
IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French, and you must show each of reading, writing, listening and speaking (IRCC, page dated June 24, 2026). It recommends taking the test in person. If a disability stops you completing a section, IRCC accepts averaged scores from its language averaging tool.
Who has to meet the PGWP field-of-study requirement?
The field-of-study requirement applies to graduates of programs that are not a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, if they applied for their study permit on or after November 1, 2024 (IRCC, checked October 12, 2026). Degree graduates, flight school graduates and anyone who applied for a study permit before that date are exempt. Your program's 6-digit CIP code must be on IRCC's list.
Will the PGWP field-of-study list change in 2026?
No: IRCC says that for 2026 it will not add or remove any eligible fields of study (IRCC page dated March 9, 2026). The list was last updated on July 4, 2025, and IRCC judges your program against the list in force on the day you applied for your study permit or the day you apply for the PGWP, so a field removed later does not strip an eligibility you already had.
How long do I have to apply for a PGWP?
You must apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program, and IRCC counts those days from the earliest of the day your final marks were issued, the day you received formal written notice that you completed it, or the day your credential was issued (IRCC program instructions, December 11, 2025). Your study permit must also have been valid at some point in those 180 days.
Can I apply for a PGWP from outside Canada?
Yes: IRCC says you can apply for a PGWP from within Canada or from another country as long as you are eligible, and a graduate who completed their program in Canada may leave and then apply from outside Canada (IRCC, checked October 12, 2026). Since June 21, 2024, IRCC no longer processes PGWP applications made at a port of entry, and a graduate who applies under the outside-Canada rules while still in Canada cannot work while waiting.
Can I work while my PGWP application is processed?
You can work full-time until IRCC decides if your study permit was valid when you applied, you completed your study program, you were eligible to work off campus and you did not work more hours than you were allowed (IRCC, page dated April 24, 2026). Leaving and re-entering Canada after you apply does not stop you working. If IRCC refuses the PGWP, you must stop working the day it notifies you.
What happens if my study permit expires before I apply for the PGWP?
If your study permit expires and you have not changed to visitor status, you have up to 90 days after it expires to apply for the PGWP and restore your student status, paying the PGWP fee and the restoration fee (IRCC, page dated August 28, 2026). You cannot work until the PGWP is approved, and if you do not apply within 90 days you must leave Canada.
How much does a PGWP cost?
The PGWP fee is $255, which is the $155 work permit fee plus the $100 open work permit holder fee, and biometrics add $85 per person if IRCC needs them (IRCC fee list dated September 21, 2026). Restoring your student status adds a $246.25 restoration fee. Paying a third party for a language test, a medical exam or police certificates costs extra.
Can I get a second PGWP?
No: IRCC lists having already received a PGWP as a reason you are not eligible, and says you cannot get a PGWP if you already had one after an earlier program of study (IRCC, checked October 12, 2026). If you completed more than one eligible program of 8 months or longer, you can combine their lengths into one PGWP, provided you meet the requirements for each program.
How long does PGWP processing take?
IRCC publishes no separate PGWP line, but its processing-times tool says the "Work permit extension in Canada" figure includes new PGWPs: 13 weeks for an application made today, last updated 10 October 2026 (IRCC tool, checked October 12, 2026). IRCC says processing times are not a maximum or a guarantee, and our processing times page tracks the work permit lines it publishes.
Does my school have to be on the DLI list?
Yes: your school must be a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI), and graduating from a DLI does not by itself make you eligible (IRCC, page dated March 9, 2026). IRCC's DLI list has a tab for schools that offer PGWP-eligible programs. A program a private college delivers for a public college under a curriculum licensing agreement is not eligible if it began after IRCC's cutoff dates.
How does a PGWP lead to permanent residence?
A PGWP lets you work in Canada while you build the skilled work experience the Canadian Experience Class needs: at least 1 year, or 1,560 hours, of paid work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs in the 3 years before you apply, done while authorized to work and not studying full-time (IRCC, checked October 12, 2026). Many provincial streams also value Canadian study and work.
Is this checker an official IRCC tool?
No, this checker is a free tool from Wild Mountain Immigration, a CICC-regulated immigration consultancy, and it is not affiliated with the Government of Canada or IRCC. It tests your answers against IRCC's published PGWP rules and gives general information only: it does not say whether you are eligible, and only IRCC decides a PGWP application.
Change log
| Date | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 2026 | Added which date decides each rule: the language rule follows the PGWP application date; the field-of-study rule follows the study permit application date. | IRCC, who can apply (June 24, 2026) |
| 13 Oct 2026 | Re-read the language exemption: only PGWP applications submitted before November 1, 2024 are exempt. | IRCC, about the PGWP (March 9, 2026) |
Sources and date checked
Every rule, fee and date on this page was read from the pages below on October 12, 2026. The date after each page is the date IRCC shows as its last change.
- IRCC: Post-graduation work permit (overview and fee) (page changed March 9, 2026)
- IRCC: About the PGWP (how long it is valid) (page changed March 9, 2026)
- IRCC: PGWP, who can apply (page changed June 24, 2026)
- IRCC: How to find your language level based on your test results (page changed May 27, 2026)
- IRCC: PGWP, get the right documents (accepted language tests) (page changed June 24, 2026)
- IRCC: PGWP field of study requirement (page changed March 9, 2026)
- IRCC: Field of study, currently eligible CIP codes (page changed March 9, 2026, the list itself was last updated July 4, 2025)
- IRCC: PGWP, how to apply (page changed August 28, 2026)
- IRCC: PGWP, after you apply (page changed April 24, 2026)
- IRCC program instructions: Post-graduation work permit (R205(c) - C43) (page changed December 11, 2025)
- IRCC: Fee list (page changed September 21, 2026)
- IRCC: Designated learning institutions list (page changed October 5, 2026)
- IRCC: Check processing times (page changed September 24, 2026)
- IRCC notice: Update on field of study requirement for post-graduation work permits (June 25, 2025)
- IRCC: Express Entry, Canadian Experience Class (read October 12, 2026)
This page and the checker give general information, not legal advice and not a decision about whether you are eligible for a PGWP. Rules, fees and lists change, so check the live IRCC pages before you rely on a date. They do not cover Quebec vocational programs measured in hours, programs stacked within two years or the COVID-19 special measures.
Keep exploring
- Canada work permitsEvery work permit route
- Study permitsWhere the PGWP path begins
- Permit expiry plannerDates for your study permit and PGWP window
- CLB calculatorConvert your test scores to a CLB level
- Canadian Experience ClassTurn PGWP work into PR
- CRS calculatorEstimate your Express Entry score
- Maintained statusStay legal while IRCC decides
- Open work permitsHow a PGWP compares
- Study to PR roadmapThe wider sequence
Not sure your PGWP rules line up?
A licensed RCIC can check your completion letter, language result and field of study against IRCC's rules before the 180 days run out.
A licensed RCIC replies by email, usually within two business days.
Licensed RCIC Nicola Wightman, CICC licence R706497.Verify on the CICC public register (opens in a new tab)