PGWP Canada: Post-Graduation Work Permit Guide for Nepali Students

What Is the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)?

The PGWP is an open work permit that lets eligible graduates work in Canada for up to 3 years after study.

You don’t need a job offer to apply, and it lets you work for most employers, in any province. So Nepali students often plan their course around it, as part of a wider plan to study in Canada from Nepal.

But IRCC says graduating from a designated learning institution doesn’t make you eligible by itself. You can also only get one PGWP in your life, so choose carefully.

Who Can Apply for a PGWP from Nepal?

You must finish a program of at least 8 months at a PGWP-eligible school and apply within 180 days.

These are the main rules from IRCC’s page on who can apply:

You aren’t eligible if you already had a PGWP, or studied only English or French as a second language. Programs that a private college teaches on behalf of a public college generally don’t qualify. Check this before you pay, because many students only learn about it at the end.

What English Score Do You Need for a PGWP?

You need CLB 7 after a degree and CLB 5 after a college program, in all 4 language skills.

This test is separate from your admission score. IRCC says you should take IELTS General Training or PTE Core, not the Academic versions most students take for college. Your result must be under 2 years old when you apply. IRCC’s language table gives these minimum scores:

IRCC also accepts CELPIP General, TEF Canada and TCF Canada. For entry to your college, see our page on minimum IELTS and PTE for Canada.

Which Programs Need the PGWP Field of Study Rule?

A bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree has no field rule, but most other programs do if you applied from 1 November 2024.

The date that counts is when you applied for your study permit. If it was on or after 1 November 2024, your diploma, advanced diploma or graduate certificate must be in a field on IRCC’s list. Each field has a 6-digit CIP code, and most colleges show it on their websites.

These fields are tied to jobs in long-term shortage, and the list can change. Before you choose a post graduate diploma in Canada, check its code. A degree such as a master’s in Canada doesn’t have this rule.

How Long Is a PGWP Valid?

It depends on your program length and level, and your passport can also limit it.

So a 1-year diploma usually leads to a work permit of up to 1 year. Your permit also can’t last past your passport, so renew your Nepal passport early if it will expire soon.

How Do You Check Durham College PGWP Eligible Programs and Other Colleges?

Use the college’s own PGWP page and IRCC’s DLI list, because eligible programs change.

Many Nepali students look this up for one college. Durham College, for example, publishes its list on its international student updates page, and it marks some programs as suspended. So read the current list for your exact program.

Use the same method for any college, such as St. Lawrence College, George Brown Polytechnic, Conestoga College or Fanshawe College:

1. Find the school on IRCC’s PGWP tab.
2. Find your exact program, at your exact campus.
3. Get its CIP code, if a field rule applies.
4. Check that the program is at least 8 months long.
5. Check that it isn’t taught at a private partner campus.

Our lists of colleges in Canada and universities in Canada can help you compare options.

How Do You Apply for a PGWP?

Apply online within 180 days, pay CAD 255 and upload your proof of completion and language result.

The fee is about Rs 27 thousand, and you can see today’s value on our CAD to Rs forex converter. IRCC’s document page lists what you need:

• A degree, diploma or certificate, an official letter or a transcript
• Proof of full-time study in a program of 8 months or longer
• Your language result
• Proof of your field of study, if the rule applies
• A medical exam result, if you need one

You can apply inside Canada, or leave and apply from another country. If your study permit expires first, you have up to 90 days to apply and restore your status, and that costs extra. You can’t work during that time. So plan before your permit ends.

Can You Work While You Wait for Your PGWP?

Yes, you can work full-time if your study permit was valid when you applied and you met the student work rules.

IRCC lists these conditions: you finished your program, you could work off campus without a permit, and you didn’t work more than the allowed hours. That limit is 24 hours a week during classes, so extra hours can hurt you here. If IRCC refuses your PGWP, you must stop working on the day it tells you.

You need a valid study permit on the day you apply for this to work, so don’t wait until the last day of your permit. Your employer may also ask you for proof that you can work, so keep a copy of your application.

Is the PGWP Different from an Employer Specific Work Permit?

Yes, an employer specific work permit ties you to one job, while a PGWP doesn’t.

If you don’t qualify for a PGWP, our guide to a Canada working visa from Nepal explains the other routes. A spouse’s rights also change once you move from study to work, as our Canada dependent visa guide explains.

Does a PGWP Lead to PR in Canada?

It can help, because the work counts for permanent residence, but no one gets PR automatically.

The Canadian Experience Class asks for at least 1 year of skilled work, or 1,560 hours, in the 3 years before you apply. The job must be in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. Time you worked while studying full-time doesn’t count.

Provincial nominee programs have their own rules. Our page on PR pathways through education covers these routes.

For a choice of adviser, see how to pick the best consultancy for Canada. Goreto has branches in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara, and you can talk to a counselor who will check a program’s PGWP rules with you before you pay.