Canada Extends Online Registration Eligibility for PGWP Applicants

Canada extends the deadline for PGWP applicants to enrol in online studies. International students can now use online coursework toward their PGWP eligibility until August 31, 2022.

Normally, the online study does not qualify for the Post-Graduation work permit (PGWP), however, this has altered since the epidemic.

International students can now complete their studies entirely online from outside of Canada and still receive a PGWP at the end of the programme. International students will be able to study in Canada until August 31, 2022, up from December 31, 2021.

The policy was first put in place in 2020 as part of a coronavirus-related effort to keep overseas students impacted by the pandemic from losing their PGWP eligibility.

The regulation applies even if you are completing two study programmes, according to the Canadian government website, as long as the programmes were ongoing or begun between March 2020 and summer 2022.

Study programmes must be offered by an approved Designated Learning Institution (DLI) and must meet all other PGWP criteria. A curriculum can be as short as eight months long.

After August 31, 2022, any time spent studying outside of Canada, as well as any time spent studying before applying for a study permit, does not count toward the term of a PGWP.

Both establishing PGWP eligibility and deciding how long your PGWP will be valid, the length of your study period is critical. If your study program was more than eight months but less than two years, the PGWP’s validity matches the length of the study program. If it was more than two years, the PGWP may be up to three years in duration.

Having a job and study experience in Canada can help you with your immigration application. Six out of ten overseas students (first-time study visa holders) who worked during or after their studies became permanent citizens, according to Statistics Canada.

Express Entry, the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) are all economic-class immigration procedures that place a high weight on Canadian work experience. It's even required in some programmes.

For example, the Canadian Experience Class is an Express Entry-managed programme that requires one year of skilled work experience in Canada. For French-speaking international student graduates in Quebec, the PEQ is a popular path. The PNP also allows those who are not eligible for Express Entry to enter the country.

The PGWP is an open work permit, which means you can use it to work in any occupation in Canada for any company. It's a one-time bargain that can't be prolonged or renewed.

If you do receive it, though, you will be able to work wherever in Canada. According to studies, having both work and academic experience in Canada might help immigrants earn more money. The PGWP is a highly sought-after work permit for these reasons, as it opens doors to opportunities in Canada.

PGWP (Post Graduation Work permit)

Students who have graduated from qualifying Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs) can apply for an open work permit to get important Canadian job experience through the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP).

Through the PGWPP, graduates can obtain skilled Canadian work experience in National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type 0 or skill level A or B, which helps them qualify for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian experience class within Express Entry.

Graduates can work full-time, part-time, or be self-employed with a post-graduation work visa, just like they can with any other open work permit. Subparagraph 205(c)(ii) of the Immigration and Refugees Protection Regulations provides the regulatory framework for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP).

A post-graduation work visa may be awarded for a minimum of 8 months and a maximum of 3 years, depending on the length of the study programme.

Officers may evaluate the duration of the programme of study in Canada and corroborate it with supporting papers when assessing the length of a post-graduation work visa.

Regularly scheduled breaks (for example, regular winter and summer vacations) should be factored into the total time accumulated toward the post-graduation work permit's duration.

The validity length of the post-graduation work permit cannot exceed the validity period of the applicant's passport. If the applicant's passport expires before the post-graduation work permit's validity period, the officer should mention this in the Global Case Management System's "Notes" box.

The candidate for a post-graduation work permit must then apply for a work permit extension when their passport is renewed in order to get the full validity of their post-graduation work visa.

Only when the term of the permit could not be specified at the time of the application due to the expiry date of the applicant's passport can post-graduation work permits be extended.

Distance learning

Online learning is a type of distance learning. Students who complete a degree of study only through distance learning (either outside or inside Canada) are not eligible for a work visa after graduation.

When an applicant has studied distance learning in Canada at an approved DLI, officers should apply the following parameters to determine if the applicant is eligible for a post-graduation work permit:

1. If distant learning is used to complete more than half of a programme of study's total courses, the programme may be regarded as a distance-learning programme, and the candidate is ineligible for a post-graduation work permit.

2. A post-graduation work permit may be obtained if less than 50% of the total courses in the programme of study are completed via distant learning. The validity should be based on the length of the program, as confirmed by the eligible DLI, including credits earned from both in-class and distance-learning courses.

Application

Applicants must apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) within 180 days of receiving written confirmation from the designated learning institution (DLI) that they have satisfied the requirements for finishing their programme of study, such as an official letter or transcript.

The 180-day count begins on the day the student receives their final grades or receives formal written notification of programme completion, whichever occurs first. The applicant is responsible for proving the date the transcript was received. Officers can also check with the DLI to confirm the date.

If their study permit is still valid or they meet one of the other requirements of section R199, applicants can apply for a PGWP from within Canada.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *