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Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program is the temporary worker program that offers international graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions an opportunity to earn Canadian work experience with an open work permit. For many international students, Post Graduate Work Permit Program is proving to be a stepping stone towards obtaining permanent residence status in the country.
Eligibility for PGWP
To be eligible for the program, international students must have completed a study program in Canada with a duration of at least eight months at an eligible institution in the country. The duration of the Work Permit will depend on the length of the study program completed by the candidate. The maximum validity a postgraduate work permit can have is three years. As this is an open work permit, the holders can change their job any time they want and also change the employers.
PGWP and Canadian PR
The Canadian study and work experience will improve the chances of the candidates to obtain Canada PR. If they are applying through Express entry, these two factors will earn for them more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points. Most of the Provincial Nominee Programs as well as the Quebec Experience Program for those who have studied in Quebec favour candidates who have Canadian study and work experience. As PGWP makes immigration to Canada easier, more international students prefer to study in Canada, which makes the country an attractive destination for education.
A recent study by Statistic Canada found that the annual number of new Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders increased six-fold from 10300 to 64700 during the period between 2008 and 2018. In 2018, almost 66% of all ost-Graduation Work Permit(PGWP) holders were from India and China. During the 2008-2018, the number of students from India in Canadian institutions increased to about 46%.
More importantly, three-fourth of all PGWP holders transitioned to permanent residence within five years of obtaining their PGWP. According to study, transition rates among the PGWP holders for college and master’s level programs were the highest. The study concludes that these results highlight the importance of PGWP program for both the international students and the Canadian economy. While PGWP allows the students to gain Canadian work experience, the same experience makes international students eligible for some of the permanent residence streams.
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